SAU roundup: Baseball splits twin bill at Truett McConnell

CLEVELAND, Ga. — In its Appalachian Athletic Conference twin bill at Truett McConnell on Thursday, the St. Andrews Knights baseball team used an offensive explosion to claim a win but was edged in a defensive tussle, resulting in a split of the games.

St. Andrews (10-7, 3-5 AAC) defeated the Bears (8-11, 2-6 AAC) in game one 13-7 and lost game two 2-1; a game three was supposed to be played on Friday but was canceled.

St. Andrews led 2-1 after an inning played in game one and scored two more in the second and one more in the third for a 5-1 advantage. Truett McConnell brought in four runners in the fourth, but the Knights had three runs in the seventh, four in the eighth and one more in the ninth. The Bears’ rally attempt in the final frame was staved off after two runs as St. Andrews came out on top.

St. Andrews’ Cesar Morillo had three runs on three hits with two RBI; Caden Santucci had one run on three hits with two RBI; Jude Drzemiecki had two hits and three RBI; Garrett Hamby scored once and had two hits and two RBI; Bryson Bebber had two runs, two hits and an RBI; Isaiah Martin had three runs and one hit; Garrett Wolff had a pair of runs, a hit and an RBI and Chance Blum rounded the bases one time for a run. Noah Sorrells (1-0) picked up the win, pitching 5 2/3 innings and giving up three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

Caleb Ramsey had three runs, a hit and two RBI for the Bears; Ethan Roberts had two hits; Matthew Redmond had a run on one hit and Hunter Fleming, Jake Edwards and Jacob Karvelas had one run each. Hank Simonds (0-1) was the losing pitcher.

Through the first four innings of game two, both teams were scoreless. But in the fifth, Truett McConnell scored its first run before St. Andrews answered with its own in the sixth; the Bears walked it off in the seventh with an Ethan Roberts RBI hit to bring in Caleb Ramsey.

Ramsey scored the Bears’ other run and had one hit, along with Tanner Griffith, Roberts and Gentry. Samuel Crew (1-0) pitched all seven innings for the win, allowing one earned run on three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.

Drzemiecki, Samuel Rosario and Bryson Bebber each had one of St. Andrews’ three hits; Drzemiecki also had an RBI. Tyler Barfield (0-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up an earned run on three hits with two strikeouts to take the loss.

St. Andrews is back at Clark Field for a midweek showdown against Morris Wednesday. First pitch is at 2 p.m.

Softball sweeps doubleheader against Mid-Atlantic Christian

The St. Andrews Knights softball team prevailed in both legs of a nonconference doubleheader against the Mid-Atlantic Christian Mustangs in Laurinburg Wednesday.

St. Andrews (4-12) was victorious 11-3 in game one and 14-2 in game two; both lasted only five innings.

After two runs in each of the first and second innings, the Lady Knights erupted for six in the fourth and one more in the fifth; Mid-Atlantic Christian (0-6) scored twice in the second and once in the third.

Haley Zimmerman and Tess Ruschman had two runs each and Brianna Sloan, Charlee Mullins, Ava McPhillips, Cat Berger, Meghan Fritz, Olivia Plybon and Natalee Victores had one; Sloan, Mullins, McPhillips and Victores finished with two hits apiece; McPhillips had four RBI and Sloan and Victores had two RBI each. Meghan Fritz won in the circle, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.

Angel Reeves had two hits and two RBI, and Carly James had two hits and an RBI for Mid-Atlantic Christian. Ayla Rivers suffered the loss.

In game two, St. Andrews led 1-0 after the first, then scored five in the second and seven in the third before Mid-Atlantic Christian broke through for two in the fourth; the Lady Knights added one final run in the bottom of the fourth.

Zimmerman had three runs for St. Andrews; Sloan, Ruschman and Plybon had two and Makenna McDaniel, McPhillips, Amber Bird, Malakai Fearn and Maddy Taylor had one. Zimmerman, Sloan and Ruschman also had two hits apiece, with Zimmerman, Sloan and Mullins recording two RBI; Mullins pitched a three-inning no-hitter with no runs allowed, four strikeouts and five walks to earn the win.

Mid-Atlantic Christian’s only hit came from Reeves, who also had two RBI. Mia Knight took the loss.

The Lady Knights will look to add to their winning streak on Tuesday with two home games against Pikeville. First pitch for game one is at 1 p.m.

Men’s volleyball scores another win at home against Virginia Wesleyan

The St. Andrews Knights men’s volleyball team scored another home win Thursday night against visiting Virginia Wesleyan in four sets.

Virginia Wesleyan won the first set 27-25 before St. Andrews took the next three 25-22, 25-17 and 25-21.

The Knights were solid on offense in all four sets, led by junior setter Hazem Abdelghafar’s 12 kills; Deonte Brewer, Alvearo Gonzalez and Hugo Gonzalez-Gutierrez supported Abdelghafar’s performance with nine kills of their own. Senior setter Dakota Hotaling continued his offensive dependence and consistency, logging another 37 to his tally and setting up his teammates throughout the night.

St. Andrews stayed in front, executing a group defensive effort with several players contributing. Abdelghafar recorded seven digs, Alex Vasquez-Sanchez followed with six and Hotaling, Leonardo Cirqueira and Isaac Guerrero added five digs.