The University of Mary Washington baseball team opened the 2013 season and the Wayne Riser era with a doubleheader split with Hampden-Sydney on Sunday at Dickinson Stadium. The Eagles fell in the opener, 1-0, but won the nightcap, 2-0.
In the opener, neither team could dent the scoreboard through six innings, as both starting pitchers threw six shutout innings. In the seventh, the tigers scored the game's only run after a one-out single, bunt, and walk. With two on and one out, Hunter Lewis singled in the only run.
Torey Mancari took the tough-luck loss, allowing five hits in 6.2 innings, with three walks and five strikeouts. Chris Somerville got the last two outs for UMW in relief. Offensively, junior Connor Finnerty singled twice to lead the Eagles, who also got hits from Brendan Jones and Steve Ruggiere.
In game two, again neither team could score until late, as the contest remained scoreless into the sixth inning. This time the Eagles found the timely hits, as in the bottom of the frame, Brendan Jones led off with a single and scored one batter later on Jono Haught's RBI triple to right centerfield. After a pitching change, Seth Jordan plated Haught with an insurance run.
Michael Straub started for the Eagles and allowed five hits and no runs in five innings, with two wlaks and six strikeouts. Somerville gained the win in relief with a perfect sixth inning, and Jake Black earned the save with three strikeouts in the seventh.
Chris King and Jones each had two hits for UMW in game two, while Haught and Jordan's timely hits in the sixth providing the victory.
The Eagles will host Eastern Mennonite University next Saturday for a noon doubleheader.