The Virginia State University baseball team (7-11) will travel over to Front Royal, Virginia to face Christendom College in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 22. Last time out, the Trojans were just three runs away from completing the sweep against Mid-Atlantic Christian. The Trojans took the first game 5-2 before holding off the Mustangs 8-6 in the second game. The Mustangs were able to ride out an early lead in game three 5-7.
Ricky Jones leads the team at the plate, as he was able to put a jolt into the baseball twice in game two of the CAU series. Jones leads the squad in home runs (2), hits (26), RBI (12) as well as total bases (39), slugging percentage (.650), triples (1), stolen bases (5-of-5) and at-bats (60). Jones has collected eight multi-hit games in the season and ranks 24th in the country in batting average (.433). The super freshman, Tahruan Hammond, currently leads the team in batting average (.434), runs (17), walks (18), OPS (1.204), doubles (8) and on-base percentage (.581). His on-base percentage ranks him 10th in the country while his batting average ranks him 22nd . Hammond also has a lively arm on the mound as the reliever has accounted for nine strikeouts while giving up just three hits. Chase Moore missed the season opening series but has since accrued 10 hits in just 31 at-bats (.323/BA) while driving in six runs and scoring six himself. Dawsyn Hock has been hot as of late as he bats a .400 from the plate with eight RBI. Hock went 6-of-8 against MACU with three RBI. The Trojans currently have five players, who have at least 30 at-bats, that maintain a batting average of .300 or better. The team hits .286 from the plate with an on-base percentage of .415. The pitching rotation has been keeping the base paths vacant this season as they allow just 4.58 earned runs per contest and have not allowed an opponent to score 10 runs or more. Nicholas Woolfolk and Grayson “Cole” Spain are proven to be a two-headed monster on the mound as Woolfolk leads the team with a three wins while maintaining an impressive 3.08 ERA in 38 innings while Spain leads with 58 strikeouts which, ranks him fifth in the country. Against CAU, Woolfolk earned a career-high nine strikeouts as Spain earned a season-high 14 strikeouts against Davis & Elkins. Woolfolk is tied for 22nd in the country in innings pitched with 38.0 while also tying for fourth in complete games with three. Spain has his name all over the country’s pitching statistics as he ties for fourth as well with three compete games. He also ties for 22nd in innings pitched with 38.0, ranks 36th in strikeouts per nine innings with 13.10 and 36th in hits allowed per game with 5.61. Avante Banks leads the infield with 64 put outs so far this season while also maintaining a .306 batting average, which ranks him fourth on the team. Ricky Jones is a vacuum in the outfield as well with 42 put outs on the season with no errors. Tahraun Hammond has assisted on the most outs on the team this season with 32.
Weekend Schedule
Tuesday, March 22
Virginia State at Christendom
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. *Front Royal, VA *Bing Crosby Stadium
About Christendom
The Christendom Crusaders are 1-4 on the season after getting swept in their season opening series by Franciscan. Their last time out, they split with Thomas Nelson but lost 16-4 in just five innings in game two of the doubleheader. Offensively, the Crusaders are abysmal from the plate hitting just .226 with a .290 on-base percentage. CC has driven 12 runs home with a .301 slugging percentage. The squad has struck out 36 times while only drawing nine walks. Thomas Dunphy is the most consistent hitter on his team as he leads his squad with a .353 batting average with six hits and four doubles. Thomas Sullivan isn’t far behind his counterpart Dunphy, as he bats .333 from the plate and leads the squad in RBI (5), on-base percentage (.412) and slugging percentage (.600). The Crusaders pitching rotation gives away 11.57 earned runs per contest while allowing 60 runs with 24 strikeouts and 30 walks this season. Teams have accumulated 48 hits against the rotation this season. John Skuba is the ace of the rotation as he leads the team in innings pitched (8.2) and is second on the team in strikeouts (5). Skuba has walked just three batters this season and maintains a 2.08 ERA. He also averages 5.19 strikeouts per nine innings.
Series History
This matchup will make the first meeting between the Trojans and the Crusaders.
Next Five Matchups
- Mar. 22 at Christendom
- Mar. 29 at Barton
- Apr. 1 at Newport News Apprentice School
- Apr. 6 vs. Barton
- Apr. 9 at Mid-Atlantic Christian