The University of Mary Washington baseball team broke open a 9-9 tie with four seventh inning runs en route to a 13-9 victory over Southern Vermont College on Tuesday at Dickinson Stadium. The Eagles, winners of six straight, improve to 11-6 on the season.
UMW pushed ahead with a six-run first inning. Mark Smith led off with a home run, and Ramsis Ruiz followed with a single and stole second. Stephen Johnston reached on a fielder's choice, with Ruiz advancing to third on an error. Christian Hague followed by reaching on an error, while Ruiz scored and Johnston moved to third. Nick Bass followed with an RBI ground out, and Garrett Lyons doubled, David Slupek singled, and Bryce Runey doubled, all driving in runs.
The Mountaineers scored a pair of runs in the second and five in the third thanks in part to five walks drawn to take a 7-6 lead. The Eagles responded with two in the third. Hague led off with a single to shortstop, and stole second. Lyons followed with an RBI single, and moved to second on a wild pitch. Slupek reached on an error to put runners at the corners, and Runey provided a sacrifice fly.
Southern Vermont scored once in the fourth and again in the sixth to take a 9-8 lead, but the Eagles answered with one of their own in the sixth. Ruiz reached on an error and stole second. Johnston flew out to deep left to send Ruiz to third, and a sacrifice fly from Kevin France tied the score.
In the seventh, Lyons led off with a walk, and advanced to third on a single from Runey. Lyons scored on an error, and Ruiz drove in a pair of runs with a double. Johnston doubled home Ruiz to give the Eagles a four-run cushion, which would be enough in a 13-9 victory.
Ruiz doubled and singled, driving in two runs and scoring three, while Johnston singled and doubled. Lyons and Runey singled and doubled, and Hague singled twice, while Smith added the leadoff home run.
Alex Shapiro gained the win in relief, as he allowed no hits in 2.2 innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Johnston pitched a spotless ninth, striking out two.
The Eagles will host Bridgewater College on Thursday at 4 p.m.