ETTRICK, Va. (Apr. 24, 2026) — Virginia State fell in both ends of a doubleheader against Apprentice on Friday afternoon at Whaley Colbert Field, dropping game one 10-2 before coming up just short in a 7-6 loss in game two.

In the opener, Apprentice set the tone early and never looked back, scoring in five of the seven innings. The visitors plated one run in the first before adding two in the second and breaking the game open with a four-run third inning.

Virginia State managed seven hits in the contest, led by Jaquan Tucker with a pair of hits. Norman Jackson provided the biggest offensive spark, driving in both Trojan runs with a triple in the seventh inning.

On the mound, Preston Branzelle took the loss after allowing seven runs (four earned) over 3.1 innings, while Josh Mahan provided solid relief, striking out three over the final 3.2 innings.

Game two proved to be a much tighter contest, as the Trojans battled throughout and held a late lead before Apprentice rallied for the win.

After falling behind 3-0 early, Virginia State responded with a four-run third inning to take the lead. Luka Gilliam drove in a run, Antonio Boone added a two-RBI single, and Julius Turner capped the inning with an RBI knock to give the Trojans a 4-3 advantage.

The Trojans extended their lead to 6-4 in the fifth inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues and timely hitting from Turner and Jackson.

Apprentice answered with two runs in the seventh to tie the game before pushing across the go-ahead run in the eighth. Virginia State was unable to respond in the final frame.

Julius Turner led the Trojans offensively in game two, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Norman Jackson added two hits and an RBI.

Charles Jones delivered a strong start on the mound, tossing seven innings and allowing four earned runs while striking out six. Trey Mitchell was charged with the loss in relief.