LEXINGTON, VA-Hampden-Sydney won two key games against Washington & Lee in Saturday ODAC double header action while moving into third place in conference with just three games remaining in the regular season. After taking 11-10 and 12-9 wins, the Tigers stand at 18-15-1 overall and 10-7 in conference. The Generals drop to 15-13 overall and 8-7 in ODAC play. 

In the first game, the Tigers used 14 hits to earn a big lead early and hold on for the 11-10 victory. Jeff Gray (Newport News, VA/Menchville) batted in Christian Hamlett (Midlothian, VA/Midlothian) in the top of the first to start off the game with a 1-0 lead. 

The Generals tied the game in the bottom of the frame, but John Lloyd (Glen Allen, VA/Deep Run) batted in two runs to put the visitors back up in the second.

After Washington & Lee closed the gap in the second with another run, the Tigers extended the lead with four more runs as Hamlett knocked in two and James Keller (Fredericksburg, VA/VMI) and Patrick Kuhns (Stafford, VA/North Stafford) each batted in one. 

Washington & Lee again tried to keep pace as three runs in the bottom of the third put the Generals within two at 7-5. 

The Tigers fired back as Keller and Lloyd each batted in two to go up 11-5. Washington & Lee would score the final five runs of the game but come just short.

Lloyd finished with four RBI on a 2-for-4 performance; Keller knocked in three runs while scoring three more on three hits. Kuhns also scored a team-high three runs while going 4-for-5.

On the mound, Billy Nixon (Sedley, VA/Southampton) picked up the win after pitching 3.2 shutout innings. Luke Rabiej (Alexandria, VA/Bishop Ireton) then earned his seventh save of the year after pitching 1.1 scoreless.

The offense did not stop in the second game with the Tigers scoring 12 more runs on 16 hits. The Tigers wasted no time, scoring 11 of their 12 runs in the first four innings.

Senior Beau Flinchum (Ashland, VA/Hanover) played a huge part in the offense, batting in four of those runs and scoring two. Junior Andrew Tucker (Fincastle, VA/James River) also batted in three and scoring two.  

Kuhns knocked in two runs during the stretch while Gray and Lloyd each batted in one as well. 

The Generals scored just two in the first three, but after a five run fourth inning they were very much in the game. They scored two more in the ninth to come within three, but Rabiej again got out of a jam as the Tigers secured the win.

Dylan Gonzales (Richmond, VA/Bridgewater) earned the win while shutting out the Generals for 2.1 innings. 

Offensively, Kuhns and Hamlett led the way with three hits each. Gray, Flinchum, Tucker, and Nathan Chamberlin (Chesterfield, VA/Virginia Wesleyan) each had two hits.

Hampden-Sydney remains on the road and will face Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday, April 16. First pitch is set for 3:30 pm.