SHEPHERD BASEBALL SWEEPS SALEM INTERNATIONAL

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- Shepherd University swept WVIAC baseball doubleheader action with Salem International on Sunday afternoon at Fairfax Field. The Rams erased a four-run deficit en route to an 8-7 win in game one and pounded out 17 hits in a 13-1 victory in the nightcap.

Senior infielder Ryan Brady (McSherrystown, PA/Delone Catholic HS/Hagerstown CC) lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to score senior infielder Nicky Brown (Hedgesville, WV/Hedgesville HS/Potomac State) in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Shepherd an 8-7 win in game one.

Salem took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth with three runs on three hits. A solo homer by Jason Gotwalt and a two-run blast by Edwin Orta's keyed the rally.

Shepherd cut the lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth when senior outfielder Collin Brown (Durham, NC/Southern Durham HS/NC State) tripled and later scored on a ground out by senior outfielder Joe Cook (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County HS).

Salem took advantage of two Ram errors to stretch its lead to 7-3 with four runs in the sixth.

Shepherd rallied to tie the game at 7-7- in the sixth with four runs. A two-run single by Joe Cook keyed the scoring outburst and set the stage for Brady's heroics.

Collin Brown led the Rams at the plate with a 3-for-3 performance with three runs scored and an RBI. Cook was 1-for-4 with three RBIs, while redshirt-freshman catcher Brett Caplan (Marriottsville, MD/Liberty HS) added a 2-for-4 effort with a run scored.

Orta went 2-for-4 to lead Salem. Gotwalt added a team-high three runs scored.

Sophomore reliever Josh Bowers (Williamsport, MD/Williamsport HS) tossed hitless ball over the final two innings to improve to 3-2. Chris Schueneman took the loss for the Tigers.

Collin Brown, Ryan Brady, and junior first baseman John Hawse (Winchester, VA/James Wood HS/Potomac State) each had three hits to pace the Rams in the nightcap.

Sophomore Dirk Webb (Hedgesville, WV/Hedgesville HS) went 2-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBIs. Collin Brown, Brady, and junior catcher Matt Noll (Charles Town, WV/Jefferson HS) also added round-trippers for the Rams.

Mike Visca homered in the fourth for the lone Tiger run.

Junior starter Steve Kozak (Harpers Ferry, WV/Jefferson HS) allowed only one earned run over five innings as he improved to 4-0 on the year. Tiger starter Matt Cockburn took the loss.

Shepherd moves to 28-10, 14-2-0 in conference play, while Salem International falls to 2-26, 1-9. The Rams return to action on when they host Concord for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at Fairfax Field.

Notes: Collin Brown scored five runs on the day and broke the Shepherd single-season mark for runs with 54. The old mark was 53 set by Rich Pell in 1997.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score