HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA-The Hampden-Sydney baseball team got back in the win column, holding on for an 8-7 win over Averett. The Tigers led big for much of the game, taking an 8-1 lead into the final frame before Averett nearly made the comeback, scoring six runs in the ninth. With the win, the Tigers improve to 17-10 overall while the Cougars drop to 14-15.

Ryan Peevey (Wirtz, VA/Franklin) put the Tigers on the board first, batting in Tyler Blevins (Draper, VA/Pulaski) on a single in the second.

Lee Carneal (Charlottesville, VA/Albemarle) and Reggie Johnson (Dunnsville, VA/Essex) then used sacrifice flies in the third to score Brian Goodwyn (Chester, VA/Thomas Dale) and Moe Gothe (Chester, VA/Thomas Dale) in the bottom of the third.

Averett got on the scoreboard with a run in the fourth, but another sacrifice fly from Carneal scored Dustin Wiles (Belmont, NC/South Point) and put the lead back up to three runs. Later in the inning, Blevins helped make it a 6-1 Tiger lead after batting in Goodwyn and Johnson on a two-out single.

The Tigers added two more in the eighth, with Peevey batting in Blevins one more time in the eighth on a single, and Cody Smith (Bristol, VA/Virginia HS) driving in Jacob Fontana (Midlothian, VA/Clover Hill).

Averett made things interesting in the top of the ninth, scoring six runs on four hits, an error and two walks to come within two, but Dylan Gonzales (Richmond, VA/J.R. Tucker) picked up his first save of the season after retiring the final batter.

The Tigers pitched by committee, with seven hurlers seeing the mound. Matt Hinson (Kinston, NC/Arendell Parrott Academy) got the start, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in four innings work.

Offensively, the Tigers had eight hits to Averett's 11. Goodwyn went 3-for-4 with two runs scored; Peevey finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBI; and Carneal went 1-for-2, batting in two runs.

Hampden-Sydney returns to action Wednesday, March 30 as the Tigers host Randolph-Macon. First pitch is set for 4:00 PM.