FINAL SCORE: Apprentice School 9, Virginia State 0

RECORDS: Apprentice School 21-10, Virginia State 19-15

LOCATION: War Memorial Stadium/Hampton, VA

IN BRIEF: Three Apprentice School pitchers combined for a seven-hit shutout as the Builders defeated NCAA Division II Virginia State University 9-0 on Friday afternoon.

ON THE FIELD

• Each team had a pair of hits in the first inning and left both runners on base.  In the second both teams went 3 up and 3 down.
• The Builders broke the scoreless run in the bottom of the third inning as with two outs, Brock Harris drew a four-pitch walk and stole second before Chris Aldridge reached on a two-base error to plate Harris for a 1-0 lead.
• In the fifth, the Builders put three runs on the board.  Chris Perry started off reaching on an error and went to third as Trevin Wilson doubled to left center.  After a walk to Harris, Aldridge singled to left center to score Perry.  Brian Belvin drove in Wilson with a sacrifice fly to right field.  Harris scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to give the hosts a 4-0 advantage.
• The next inning the Builders scored one early as Mark Labrador tripled to right field and scored on a Lee Rossi sacrifice fly to lead 5-0.
• Apprentice School broke the game open with four more runs in the eighth inning as Labrador opened with a double and scored on a Rossi single through the left side of the infield.  After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Rossi scored as Aldridge reached on an error.  Pinch-hitter Jordan Cowles then smacked a double to center field to score Jacob Countiss who had reached on a fielders choice to go up 8-0.  The final run was scored by Aldridge on a wild pitch.

BEHIND THE BOXSCORE

• Taylor Gomer earned his fifth victory of the year throwing seven innings and allowing four hits while striking out four. 
• He retired 12 batters in a row from the second through the fifth innings before a double from Jamison Griffin snapped that run to start the sixth inning.
• Colton Copeland pitched the eighth inning and gave up three hits, but worked out of a two-on, two-out situation by forcing a groundout to close that threat.
• Sam Massie threw the ninth inning and got a pair of groundouts to end the ballgame.
• Labrador was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Aldridge and Belvin had a pair of hits each.
• Seven different Trojans had a hit each for Virginia State who fell to 19-15.

NEXT UP – Thomas Nelson CC

The Builders continue their every-other-day playing run as they'll host Thomas Nelson CC on Sunday afternoon at 1 pm at War Memorial Stadium.