Barton, N.C. (Apr. 1, 2025)- The Virginia State University Baseball team coming off its first series win this season completed its home and home series with the Barton College Bulldogs on Tuesday afternoon and dropped the decision 24-14.
The Trojans, Jaden Guthrie reached on a one out error by the third baseman. TJ McGowan then singled up the middle, followed by a single by Jaquan Tucker which allowed Guthrie to score. Victor Johnson then singled to right field making it 2-0. Matthew May kept the hits coming with a two out single up the middle to put runners on the corners and scoring Tucker. Hector Rivera drew a walk that loaded the bases for Marquis Smith. Smith then hit a bases clearing double down the left field line making it 6-0.
In the bottom half of the first the Bulldogs answered quickly with a run after a double and single to left field then in the second Barton managed to load the bases with only one out. The Bulldogs then used a two-out rally to score 10 runs to take the lead 11-6. The Trojans threw three pitchers in the bottom of the second inning. The Trojans managed to get runners on first and second with two outs then a wild pitch moved both up 90 feet, Smith then drew a four pitch walk to load the bases. Thomas Ealey then hit a high chopper up the middle for a single to bring home Romero followed by a Guthrie five pitch walk to bring home another run making it 11-8 after the top of third inning.
Barton got runners in scoring position with no one out to begin their half of the inning. The Bulldogs scored four runs before VSU managed to get the first out of the inning. After getting back-to-back fly outs to right field a wild pitch brought home the runner that was on third base making it 16-8 after three innings of play. A two out knock from Rivera brought in Johnson who walked to begin the fourth inning. Smith then hit a rocket to third that was stopped by a diving third baseman, but he had no play to load the bases for VSU. Ealey on the first pitch he saw deposited a two-run single just in front of the right fielder to make it 16-11. VSU added one run in the fifth after Johnson hit a ground out RBI that scored Tucker.
The Bulldogs, after being held scoreless for the past two innings, exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth making it 22-12. In the top of the seventh the Trojans loaded the bases with one out after Ralph Rivera hit a one out single, Norman Jackson walked and Caden Willis-Sagers got on via an error. Thomas Chandler then pinch hit and walked in a run. Julius Turner also drew a pinch-hit walk, making it 22-14. Barton scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning to enact the mercy rule.
The Trojans return to Whaley Colbert Field this weekend for a pair of double headers against Lighthouse Christian College on Saturday April 5 and Sunday April 6 both scheduled to start at 1 pm.
