HAMPTON, VA. -- The Apprentice School baseball team rode scored all five runs in the middle innings and held off a couple of Virginia Wesleyan College rallies to knock off the Marlins 5-3 on Apprentice Athletic Club Day at War Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.
Virginia Wesleyan opened the scoring with a run in the third as Matt Ittner singled and advanced to third on a single from Anthony Siracusa. Alex Lambert followed with a single to right scoring Ittner for an early 1-0 Marlin lead.
The Builders pushed three runs across in the fourth inning as Travis Franklin walked and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Hendrickson. Following a strikeout, Zach Harding was hit by a pitch before Chris Perry's double down the left field line scored Franklin. Both Harding and Perry scored as Chris Scarola singled to right for a 3-2 Apprentice School advantage.
The Marlins scored a run in the fifth, but left the bases loaded as Ryland Edwards struck out Evan Polk to end the threat keeping the Builders lead at 3-2. Apprentice School (23-14) answered that run with one in its half of the fifth as Devorn Lake started with a single and took second on an errant throw. He advanced to third on a groundout and scored as Andrew Hooper greeted relief pitcher Reid Hoffler's first pitch with a single up the middle for a 4-2 advantage. The Builders scored in the sixth as Scarola singled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a Trevin Wilson single to push the lead to 5-2.
VWC (7-21) scored a run in the seventh as Siracusa started the inning smashing a home run down the left field line cutting the margin to 5-3. That was the end of the day for Edwards who went the first six complete innings allowing 12 hits and three runs to even his record at 3-3. Sam Massie came in to earn his second save of the year throwing the final three innings and allowing one hit with two strikeouts. The Marlins had one last chance in the ninth, but Massie struck out Daniel Cox to end the game with a runner at third.
Scarola, Hooper and Wilson had a pair of hits each for the Builders who were out-hit 13-9 by the Marlins.
The Builders return to action on Thursday when they host NCAA Division III second-ranked Christopher Newport University at 4 pm.