HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA-Hampden-Sydney baseball held off a furious rally from Ferrum to hold on for a 14-11 win. The Tigers led 11-1, but eight straight runs from the Panthers made it a two-run game midway through the seventh. The Tigers, though, were able to maintain their lead. With the win, the Tigers improve to 8-3 on the season while Ferrum drops to 5-7.

The Panthers struck first with a run in the top of the second, but Hampden-Sydney quickly took the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Blake Hartman (Chester, VA/Thomas Dale) laid down what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt, but a Panther error allowed him to reach safely while Andrew Kasiski (Chesapeake, VA/Indian River) scored from second. Ryan Peevey (Wirtz, VA/Franklin) then scored on a Moe Gothe (Chester, VA/Thomas Dale) RBI-single.

Jayson Maitland (Colonial Heights, VA/Colonial Heights) then added to the lead with a two-RBI single that drove in Hartman and Gothe.

Chase Counts (Virginia Beach, VA/Ocean Lakes) then doubled the Tiger runs in the inning, blasting a grand slam over the left field wall to put the team up 8-1.

Hartman continued to add to the Tiger lead, scoring a run in each the third and fifth innings. Gothe also scored in the fifth on a Wiles RBI to go up 11-1.

Ferrum rallied in the sixth and seventh, however, scoring six runs in the sixth that included a grand slam from Dominick Claxton. Two more runs in the seventh put Ferrum within two at 11-9.

Hampden-Sydney was able to respond in the bottom half of the frame with runs from Gothe, Wiles, and Maitland.

Ferrum continued to rally, scoring two more runs in the top of the eighth on a two-out triple to make it a 14-11 Tiger lead.

In the ninth, Maitland was able to come to the mound and collect his second save of the season.

Jimmy Butler (Roanoke, VA/Patrick Henry) picked up the win while allowing one run on three hits in five innings. He also struck out four. Reed Cooper (Vinton, VA/William Byrd) allowed five runs – two earned – in 0.2 innings. Hayden Basse (Fairfax Station, VA/Bishop O'Connell) allowed three runs – two earned in 1.1 innings, and Michael Flanagan (Moseley, VA/Cosby) allowed two runs in an inning. Each struck out two.

Offensively, the Tigers 11 hits, including three from Maitland and Gothe.

Hampden-Sydney returns to action Wednesday, March 8 as the Tigers travel to North Carolina to face Methodist. First pitch is set for 4:00 PM.