by Emilee Altice

FERRUM, Virginia -- The Ferrum College baseball team played to a double-header split with Shenandoah University, who is ranked 15th in the nation by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). The Panthers took game one 14-7 but fell in game two 13-2 at Panther Field Sunday afternoon. 

RECORDS
Ferrum (8-20, 5-14 ODAC)
Shenandoah (22-7, 15-4 ODAC)

GAME ONE
The first inning was a busy one for both teams, as Shenandoah stole a run in the first but was answered by two Panther runs in the home half of the frame. Ozzie Torres and Josh Greenway went back to back with solo shots over the left field fence to give Ferrum the 2-1 advantage. 

Ferrum would explode in the fourth with three more runs to take a 5-1 lead. Darden Eure-Parrish started the rally with an infield single to second, scoring Justin Brady. Rufus Hurdle followed things up with a single of his own scoring Eure-Parrish and Torres' double to left field rounded things out as Grey Sherfey came around to score. 

The fifth frame would be a big one for both teams as Shenandoah would take a 6-5 lead only for the Panthers to take back the lead with five runs of their own in the inning, making it a 10-6 game. Grant Thompson and Colby Martin started the scoring off with singles that would produce runs for the Hornets. Keegan Woolford picked up a RBI hit followed up by a Pearce Bucher home run to left field. Ferrum would answer right back with Sherfey's walk with the bases loaded would knot things up at six. Hurdle, Torres, and Grayson Chitwood would all pick up RBI singles to add four runs and allow the Panthers to take control. Shenandoah would try their hand at a comeback with a run in the sixth but Greenway's bases clearing triple would shut the door on the Hornets. 

Will Davis (W, 3-3) picked up the win after pitching 5.2 innings allowing six earned on ten hits and seven punch outs. Matt House (L, 2-1) took the loss in one inning of relief, surrendering four runs (none earned) on one hit and a walk. 

GAME TWO
Shenandoah opened game two up early as a seven-run second frame gave the Hornets full control. Kooper Anderson and Ryan Hayden started the scoring off with RBI singles before Frankie Ritter picked up a RBI with a double down the left field line. Woolford was credited with a RBI as he drew a walk with the bases loaded and was folowed up by Bucher's 2-RBI single. Woolford would later score in the inning as Ferrum would record the final out on a double steal attempt. 

The Hornets added one more in the third, but the Panthers would answer with two of their own in their half of the frame. Brady would score Torres on a fielder's choice and Chitwood came around later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 8-2. Shenandoah would then put things out of reach with a five-run 7th inning as Logan Wood, Thompson, and Martin all had singles resulting in runs for the Hornets. 

Jacob Fairve (W, 2-0) picked up the win on the mound for Shenandoah after tossing six full innings, giving up two earned runs across seven hits and five strikeouts. Devon Boothe (L, 1-5) was credited with the loss after pitching four innings and surrendering eight earned runs on nine hits and four walks. 

BEHIND THE WHISTLE
"The bats got hot in the first game today. To play like that against one of the best teams in the country gives us a glimpse of the potential that this club has in its future." --Head Coach Ryan Brittle

UP NEXT
Coach Brittle's bunch will be back at home Tuesday, April 27 as they take on the Emory & Henry College Wasps in a mid-week ODAC contest. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. at Panther Field.