ETTRICK, VA  – The Virginia State University baseball team (11-15) will be back in the 804 to host the Newport News Apprentice School (14-14). Before splitting a doubleheader with MACU, the Trojans dropped one 15-3 in front of the home crowd last Wednesday. VSU is currently 4-12 on Whaley Colbert field and have yet to sweep an opponent at home. The Trojans are riding high after scoring a season-high 19 runs in a 19-5 victory over MACU as four different VSU players hit bombs. However, in game two the Trojans lost a barn burner 6-5.

 
After going a perfect 8-8 against Christendom, Dawsyn Hock now leads the team with a ridiculous .433 batting average. He has had four games this season when he has batted 1.000 with more than one at-bat in the contest. Opposing teams plan to play the fence against Ricky Jones (.402/BA), as he was able to put a jolt into the baseball twice in game two of the CAU series. Jones leads the squad in home runs (4), tied for first in hits (33), RBI (23) as well as total bases (54), triples (1), and at-bats (90). Jones has collected nine multi-hit games this season. The super freshman, Tahruan Hammond (.415/BA), currently leads the team in runs (29), walks (24), doubles (10), tied for first in triples (1), tied for first in hits (34), slugging percentage (.634), on-base percentage (.550) and on-base slugging percentage (1.184). His on-base percentage ranks him seventh in the country as he also ranks 45^th in doubles per game with .40. Hammond also has a lively arm on the mound as the reliever has accounted for 18 strikeouts while giving up just nine hits. The Trojans currently have four players, who have at least 40 at-bats that maintain a batting average of .300 or better while two players average .400 or better. The team hits a whopping .298 from the plate with an on-base percentage of .418. The pitching rotation has been keeping the base paths vacant this season as they allowed a respectable 5.41 earned runs per contest and have struck out 162 batters while walking just 104. Nicholas Woolfolk and Grayson "Cole" Spain are proven to be a two-headed monster on the mound as Woolfolk leads the team with a five wins while maintaining an impressive 3.22 ERA in 50.1 innings while Spain leads with 65 strikeouts which, ranks him within the top-50 in the country. Against CAU, Woolfolk earned a career-high nine strikeouts as Spain earned a season-high 14 strikeouts against Davis & Elkins. Woolfolk is ranked within the top-25 in the country in innings pitched while also tying for third in complete games with three. Spain has his name all over the country's pitching statistics as he ties for third as well with three compete games. He also ranks within the top-25 in the country in innings pitched with 46.2 and ranks 14th in strikeouts per nine innings with 13.38. Rashard Miller has proven to be a primetime reliever as he has stepped in 21.2 inning and struck out 14 batters while maintaining a 2.91 ERA. Avante Banks leads the infield with 74 put outs so far this season while also maintaining a .306 batting average, which ranks him fourth on the team. Ricky Jones is a vacuum in the outfield as well with 58 put outs on the season with no errors. Tahraun Hammond has assisted on the most outs on the team this season with 4. 
 
 
Weekend Schedule
Thursday, April 14
Virginia State vs. The Newport News Apprentice School
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. *Ettrick, Virginia *Whaley Colbert Field
 
 
 
About The Apprentice School
The Newport News Apprentice School Builders are 14-14 overall after winning their last two games against VSU and Southern Virginia. The Builders do their winning in bunches going on winning streaks of seven games and three games. They have also lose in bunches as well going on losing streaks of three and six games. Offensively, the Builders put the bat on the ball quite a bit hitting .278 with a .367 on-base percentage and boast 23 home runs. The Apprentice School has driven 150 runs home with a .432 slugging percentage. The squad has struck out 189 times while drawing 102 walks. Camden Weston leads his team as the freshman maintains a .357 batting average along with 35 hits and a home run. Maxwell Burcham is the slugger of the squad as the senior bats a .333 from the plate and leads the squad in at-bats (99), runs (22) and home runs (7). Braden Lambert leads with 27 RBI along with seven home runs on the season. The Builders pitching rotation gives away 5.30 earned runs per contest while allowing 156 runs with 176 strikeouts (7.06 K/9) and 92 walks this season. Teams have accumulated 229 hits against the rotation this season. Andrew Castine is the ace as he leads the team in innings pitched (49.1). Castine has walked just seven batters this season and maintains a 4.93 ERA with 31 strikeouts.
 
Series History
The Trojans are 8-14 against the Builders in matchups dating back to 2012. VSU has lost three of the last five matchups. That being said, the Trojans are 4-3 against the Builders at home. Earlier this season the Trojans earned one of two wins in a doubleheader winning the first game 6-3 and losing the second game 5-3.
 
 
Next Five Matchups

• Apr. 14 vs. Newport News Apprentice School
• Apr. 16-17 at Salem
• Apr. 19 at Univ. of Mount Olive
• Apr. 23-24 vs. Bluefield State
• Apr. 30-May 1 vs. Salem