HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA-After a dramatic 7-6 comeback win in 11 innings, Hampden-Sydney carried the momentum over to its second game against Virginia Wesleyan with a commanding 17-2 victory. With the sweep, Hampden-Sydney improves to 10-4 on the season and 2-0 in ODAC play, while the Marlins drop to 4-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

Though Hampden-Sydney was first to strike when Herbie Williams (Danville, VA/George Washington) scored on a Nick Caporale (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) RBI, Virginia Wesleyan built a 3-1 lead after two innings.

Neither team scored, however, over the next five innings with both Dan Nicoll (Centreville, VA/Bishop Ireton) and the Marlins' Alex DeJesus pitching shutouts.

In the top of the eighth, the Marlins were able to expand their led to 6-1 with another three run frame.

The Tiger bats came alive in the bottom of the inning as they compiled five hits to even the score. After Chris Martin (Chesterfield, VA/Manchester) and Caporale reached base, Cody Joyner (Newport News, VA/Menchville) pinch ran for Caporale. The two base runners advanced into scoring position just before Justin Hebert (Richmond, VA/Hermitage) ripped a two-RBI double putting the Tigers within three.

Hebert later made it a 6-4 game when Zach Harrelson (Danville, VA/George Washington) batted him home with a single. Two batters later, Harrelson rounded the bases via a Beau Flinchum (Ashland, VA/Hanover) RBI single. Jordan Wind (Tappahannock, VA/Essex) provided the equalizing RBI when he scored pinch runner Ryan Carter (Chester, VA/Thomas Dale).

After two and a half scoreless innings and the score knotted at 6-6, freshman Andrew Tucker (Fincastle, VA/James River) came up with the clutch game-winning RBI.

In the second game, it was all Hampden-Sydney as the Tigers racked up 19 hits to score 17 runs while senior Mike Blanchard (Roanoke, VA/Roanoke Catholic) allowed just two runs one five hits in eight innings of work.

Hampden-Sydney first hit the scoreboard with a five run second inning. Flinchum, Caporale and Hebert each recorded an RBI while Williams knocked in two.

Virginia Wesleyan cut into the lead with one run in both the fourth and sixth, but the Tigers reeled off another five runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 10-2. Hampden-Sydney did so with just two hits and one error as four Tigers were walked and one was hit. Hunter Lewis (Newport News, VA/Menchville) and Tucker each recorded two RBI.

Four more hits in the seventh led to a Zeb Cope (Advance, NC/Davie County) RBI single that scored Hebert.

The Tigers exploded again in the bottom of the eighth with six more runs on just three hits. After Williams scored and the bases were loaded, Tucker batted in two more runs with a double. Harrelson scored on a passed ball, and after two walked loaded the bases, Drew Walker (Midlothian, VA/Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot) knocked a two-RBI double into left field.

Tucker had a solid offensive performance in the second game, after providing the walk-off hit in the first, going 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs. Williams was 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI.

In the two games combined, Harrelson was an impressive 5-for-8 with four runs, two RBI and two doubles.

Hampden-Sydney will return to action on Thursday, March 3 as it travels to face Averett University. The game is set for 3:00 pm.