Baseball takes series over Bluefield with rubber match victory

BLUEFIELD, Va. (March 5, 2022) – Between a one-run complete game from Chase Raines and the Point University baseball team combining for 16 hits, the Skyhawks defeated Bluefield University 13-1 Saturday afternoon to help earn the Appalachian Athletic Conference series victory.

Point handed the Rams their second loss of the season after defeating Bluefield yesterday to end a 15-game win streak. Point advanced to 9-10 (4-2 AAC) after Saturday and is currently tied for fourth in the AAC standings.  

Point opened Saturday's contest by posting four runs in the top of the first. A two-RBI single to left field from Kevin Howard would drive in Connor Varnum and Dillon Brown and Jhamante Woods would connect for a two-RBI double to left field to score II Zadod Gabriel and Jakobe Smith.

In the top of the second, back-to-back singles first from Jakobe Smith to score Varnum and the second from Francisco Garcia to score Smith would extend Point's lead 6-1. In the bottom of the third, the Rams would push one run across, following a single up the middle from Max Aristy that scored Bryce Medlock, but that would prove to be the only run of the day for the Rams as Point went on to score one run in the fourth, two runs in the sixth and four runs in the eighth. Point held Bluefield scoreless to put the mercy rule into effect in the eighth inning.

Point's solo run in the fourth came from a home run from Garcia, his second home run of the season. In the sixth, a triple from Smith would drive in Varnum and Garcia would follow with a single to left field to score Smith. In the eighth, two bases-loaded walks, a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly, would help the Skyhawks to a four-run inning.

Eight Skyhawks recorded 16 hits, with seven recording multi-hit games. Varnum was 2-for-3 and scored four times, Smith was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and scored three times, Garcia was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and scored twice, Howard was 2-for-5 with three RBIs, Woods was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Zebediah Baird was 2-for-5, and Kole Sonnier was 2-for-3. Raines went all eight innings, giving up three hits, one run (earned), walking one, and striking out three.

Up next, Point hosts Talladega in a nonconference matchup on Tuesday, March 8, at 3 p.m. Following Tuesday's game, Point will host in-state foe Truett McConnell in an AAC series March 11-12.