__College sweeps Towson, defeats Norfolk State, will travel to James Madison today__
p. Tribe baseball is on its second four-game winning streak of the season after recently sweeping a series against Towson University 4-3, 6-0, 15-8 and defeating Norfolk State University 6-4.
p. After Friday’s scheduled contest was postponed due to rain, the Tribe faced the Towson Tigers March 17 and earned the 4-3 win in 12 innings. Junior Pete Vernon (2-2) earned the win in relief with junior starting pitcher Sean Grieve and senior Warrik Staines both supplying solid pitching performances. Junior first baseman Greg Maliniak started the scoring for the Tribe with a homer in the second inning, 1-0. After the Tigers put two on the board in response, the College took back the lead in the bottom of the sixth, 3-2. Sophomore second baseman James Williamson singled and sophomore shortstop Lanny Stanfield hit a double to left field. Williamson touched home on a single by junior centerfielder Paul Juliano and Stanfield scored stealing. A double by senior third baseman/short stop Greg Sexton equaled Brendan Harris’ school record for career doubles (59) in the bottom of the tenth. Towson scored to knot it up and the teams battled through three more innings until the Tribe scored to win in the bottom of the twelfth, as senior designated hitter Brent McWhorter advanced from third to score on a Maliniak single to left field.
p. Sunday, the Tribe battled the Tigers in the rescheduled doubleheader, winning both contests, 6-0, 15-8, to sweep the series against Towson. In the first game, freshman Kevin Landry (3-2) provided sound defense and pitched the shut-out in seven innings, striking out three and allowing only four hits and two walks. The Tribe snatched the game in the bottom of the third, as sophomore catcher Jeff Wera, junior designated hitter Tim Park, Stanfield, McWhorter and Sexton all scored to reach 5-0. A homerun to right center by sophomore right fielder Robbie Nickle gave the Tribe a 6-0 finish. Head Coach Frank Leoni recorded his 300th career victory with the win.
p. Vernon (3-2) earned his second win of the afternoon, entering in relief of junior starting pitcher Pat Kantakevich and Staines, and not allowing any runs in the final three innings. The College began strong offensively, as both Park and Sexton homered in the bottom of the first. Both Park and Maliniak totaled three RBI, and Sexton and Nickle numbered two. The Tribe scored big in the sixth and eighth, totaling four in each inning, and finished with a total of 17 hits.
p. After dominating in the Towson series, the Tribe faced Norfolk State Tuesday and stretched the its winning streak to four, taking the contest 6-4. Freshman Tyler Truxell (3-2) recorded the win, with freshman Max Axelrod and Staines providing firm relief. The College collected the day’s runs within the first four innings, scoring half in the bottom of the first. Park launched the Tribe offensive with a single through the left side and advanced on a sacrifice bunt from McWhorter and a ground out from Sexton, scoring as Sheridan smacked a double to left field. A single from Nickle scored Sheridan, and a run from Nickle later in the inning gave the Tribe a sound start.
p. The Tribe is back in action this weekend as the team faces James Madison University in Harrisonburg.
