Mendenhall’s Gem Helps R-MC to a Doubleheader Split with Emory & Henry

ASHLAND, VA – Randolph-Macon College right-hander Byron Mendenhall struck out nine in seven innings of work to help the Yellow Jackets to an 8-2 game two win over Emory & Henry College and earn a split of the ODAC doubleheader played in Ashland on Monday. The Wasps took game one 4-1.

Mendenhall improved his record to 4-0 on the season after scattering six hits and walking just one batter in his seven innings on the bump.

The Yellow Jackets got on the board first when Charlie Hartt led the second inning off with a solo homerun to put R-MC up 1-0.

After Greg Meleski put the Jackets up 2-0 with an RBI single in the third inning, Randolph-Macon padded its advantage with three runs in the bottom of the six inning to make the score 5-0. Two of those runs came on a homerun by JC Conway.

The Yellow Jackets tacked on three more runs in the home half of the seventh inning behind an RBI single from Jeff Beck that scored Hartt and Meleski and an RBI single by Jay Lichter that plated Beck.

In game one, Hartt and E&H starter Codie Mitchell locked up in a pitcher’s duel with the Wasps holding a slim 1-0 advantage heading into the home half of the sixth inning. Hartt helped his cause by homering off Mitchell with one out to tie the contest at 1-1.

Emory & Henry bounced back, scoring three runs in its next at bat to go up 4-1 and Mitchell was able to get Bruno Gora to ground out with a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom half of the inning, sealing the win for the Wasps.

Randolph-Macon’s game with Virginia Wesleyan scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed, the Jackets will now return to action on Thursday at home against Christopher Newport at 3:00 p.m.