FERRUM, Virginia -- The Ferrum College baseball team dropped a pair of games to Alfred State College this afternoon at home to open the 2024 season. The Panthers fell 9-8 in the opener, then dropped the nightcap 18-7 at Panther Field.

RECORDS
Alfred State (2-0)
Ferrum (0-2)

GAME ONE
In the opener, Alfred State picked up a run each in the second and third innings, but Ferrum put three on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third on a fielding error and RBI singles from Clayton Michael and Bryce Thacker to take a 3-2 lead. The Pioneers added a run in the top of the fourth inning on a sac fly to tie the game, but Michel's single through the left side in the bottom of the fifth pushed Ferrum back out in front 4-3.

ASC scored another run in the top of the seventh to tie the game, but Ferrum went back out in front with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame off a wild pitch and a Davis Yeaman sac fly to take a 6-4 lead. The Pioneers then exploded for five runs in the eighth inning and grabbed a 9-6 lead. Ferrum answered with two in the bottom of the eighth, but would not score again. The Panthers had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but a double play closed out the game.

KEY STATS
Alfred State: Elijah Barinas 4-5, 2B 2 runs; Jack Curabba HR; RP Chris Baldwin (W, 1-0) 0.2 inn, 0 hits, 0 runs
Ferrum: Tyler Mason 3-5, 2B, 3 runs; Michael 3-4, double, run, 2 RBI; Russell Golembe 2-4, HR, SB; RP Carson Swaim (L. 0-1) 1.2 inn, 4 hits, 3 ER

GAME TWO
In the nightcap, Alfred State scored two in the first inning, four in the second and two in the third to take a commanding 8-1 lead. Shawn Baxter's sac fly to right field in the first scored a run, then his RBI groundout in the third pushed another run across for Ferrum. Jaden Johnson had a sac fly to center in the fourth to trim the lead to 8-3.

The Pioneers struck for two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth, one in the seventh, two in the eighth and four in the ninth to extend their lead to 18-5. Ferrum scored two in the seventh inning, one on a wild pitch and the other on Noah Basham's RBI single up the middle. The Panthers scored two in the bottom of the ninth inning on a Baxter groundout RBI and a fielding error.

KEY STATS
Alfred State: Tyler Petery 3-5, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 2 SB; SP Jon White (W, 1-0) 6 inn, 5 hits, 2 ER, 7 K
Ferrum: SP Steven Ritchie (L, 0-1) 1.1 inn, 4 hits, 6 ER; Basham 2-3, RBI; Ben Thomas 2-4, 2B, run

UP NEXT
Coach Ryan Brittle's team will back at it Sunday, February 18, at home against Alfred State. The third and final game of this three-game series with the Pioneers is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start.