Gators Lose Season-Opening Doubleheader

The Virginia Peninsula Community College baseball team beat the weather Friday, Jan. 23, but couldn't beat Bryant & Stratton, dropping a doubleheader to open the season. The series originally was scheduled for the weekend, but the games were moved up because of the weather.

"We picked a decent day to go ahead and get on the field. It wasn't bad at all Friday," said Gators coach Shane Harrison.

Harrison approached the doubleheader like a test, just wanting to see how his team would compete against the Bobcats, runners-up in the Region 10 Division II tournament last year. He also has a lot of freshmen on his team, so seeing how they adjusted to playing at the next level was important.

"I was pleased with how they handled themselves. It wasn't the outcome, obviously, that we wanted," Harrison said.

In the first game, the Gators fell behind early, rallied to pull within one, run but fell 13-2 in the seven-inning game. Carmello Washington (Warwick High School) had two of the Gators' five hits and drove in a run. Jacob Wells (Isle of Wight Academy) started on the mound for VPCC. He gave up just one hit in three innings but walked five and gave up three runs, all earned, to suffer the loss.

Game 2 started out much better with the Gators scoring two runs in the top of the first on a home run by Cameron Byers (Christchurch). The host Bobcats responded with three runs in their first at-bat and built an 8-2 lead after four innings. The Gators scored four runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to 8-6 but gave up four runs in the bottom of the inning to lose 12-6. Byers had a three-run homer in the big inning, finishing the game with five runs batted in. Garrett Hudson (Tampa, Fla.) added two hits, and Ryan Bevins (Texas) had a triple. Dylan Guerrette (North Carolina) started and got the loss for VPCC, giving up four runs, all earned, in three innings.

In one game last year against the Bobcats, the Gators lost 23-3, so Harrison was glad these games were closer.

"Overall, we played pretty clean baseball," Harrison said. "Cam Byers had two home runs. He had a double and threw a couple of guys out stealing. As a freshman coming in and doing that, that was good."

The Gators return to action Feb. 6 at Chowan University. Their first home games are Feb. 14 with a doubleheader against Anne Arundel Community College starting at 11 a.m. at War Memorial Stadium.

For more information on the College, visit www.vpcc.edu.