WINCHESTER, Va. - The Gallaudet University baseball team struck first against nationally-ranked Shenandoah University here Sunday in a non-conference nine-inning game but the No. 9 Hornets scored nine unanswered runs and won 9-1 at Bridgeforth Field.

Gallaudet (5-21) got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning when sophomore Jake Grindstaff (New Market, Md.) singled through the left-side of the infield to plate junior Zack Crawford (Newnan, Ga.). The Bison stranded junior Blake Phillips (Dalton, Ga.) on third as Grindstaff got picked off first base to end the inning.

Senior Albert Blake (Derby, Conn.) made his first start this season and went six innings. The right-hander started off strong as he sat the Hornets down in order in the first. Shenandoah (19-6) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1-1. The Hornets took the lead for good when it pushed across three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Blake worked into the bottom of the seventh inning but allowed the first three batters to reach base before being lifted for fellow senior Ben Coleman (St. Paris, Ohio).

Blake (2-1) allowed six runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks and struck out one. Coleman threw two innings of relief where he allowed three unearned runs on two hits, two walks and three strikeouts.

Eric Liskey (1-0) earned the win on the mound for Shenandoah as he pitched seven innings where he allowed one unearned run on eight hits and struck out one. Lead-off rightfielder Lew Johnson (3-for-4, double, run) had RBI hits in the second, fourth and seventh innings for the Hornets. Third baseman Nate Loman (2-for-4, three runs) singled home two runs in the seventh.

GU tried to mount a comeback in the ninth when junior first baseman Justin Strong (Charlotte, N.C) led things off with a single to center field before moving to second base when sophomore Dylan Hayes (Endicott, N.Y.) walked. Crawford flied out and Phillips strick out to end the game.

BISON TRACKS

• Seven different Bison had a hit in the game as GU tallied 11 hits
• Four different players had two hits including freshman Ryan Gilbert (Mount Dora, Fla.), Magsig, Phillips and Grindstaff
• The Bison continue to struggle with runners in scoring position as they went 1-for-7 (.143) today
• Shenandoah batted .417 (5-for-12) with runners in scoring position
• Gallaudet's defense made an error in three consecutive innings (second, third and fourth innings)
• In the three innings SU scored runs there were four combined GU errors
• GU left six runners on base
• The Bison defeated Shenandoah, 6-0, on March 2, 2014 in the last meeting between the two schools

UP NEXT
Gallaudet jumps back into NEAC play next weekend when it travels to Lancaster, Pa., to face the Chargers from Lancaster Bible College (8-9) on Saturday, April 9, in a doubleheader at 1 p.m.