FINAL SCORE: GAME 1 – Apprentice School 5, Thomas Nelson CC 2

FINAL SCORE: GAME 2 – Apprentice School 8, Thomas Nelson CC 1

RECORDS: Apprentice School 24-13; Thomas Nelson CC 9-24

LOCATION: War Memorial Stadium/Hampton, VA

IN BRIEF: The Apprentice School closed out its regular season on Thursday winning nine of its last 10 games after a doubleheader sweep of Thomas Nelson CC 5-2 and 8-1 at War Memorial Stadium.

HOW THEY SCORED – GAME 1

• The Builders opened with a run in the bottom of the first as Mark Labrador singled through the left side and went to second on a throwing error.  He scored as Lee Rossi reached on an error and went to second on the throw.
• In the bottom of the third, the Builders put up a pair of runs as Jacob Countiss struck out but reached first on a wild pitch.  He stole second and went to third on a Ryan Hendrickson single.  After Hendrickson stole second, both runners scored on a Rossi single to left field.
• In the next inning, the Builders repeated their two run outburst as Thomas Richardson started with a double to left and advanced to third on a fly out from Hayden Champigny.  Following Edwin Suarez being hit by a pitch, Richardson scored on a Countiss singled to left.  Labrador followed with a single to left to score Suarez for a 5-0 lead.
• The Gators scratched a run in the sixth on a Michael Liburd double to score CJ Landrom who had walked.  They also got a run in the seventh as Landrom drew a bases loaded walk to score Caleb Hertzler who had earlier singled.

BEHIND THE BOX – GAME 1

• Four Builder pitchers combined to strike out 15 batters and allow three hits as Taylor Gomer picked up the win throwing two innings and striking out six of the seven batters.  Mike Brumfield also struck out six in his two innings allowing one run, one hit and two walks.  Colton Copeland had two strikeouts and two walks in two innings, while Steven Conley threw the seventh with one strikeout and an unearned run.
• Labrador and Hendrickson were 2-for-4 with a run scored apiece.  Rossi drove in two runs, while Countiss and Labrador had one apiece.

HOW THEY SCORED – GAME 2

• The Gators got their run in the top of the second inning as Jahleel Sewer opened with a single to right and went to third on a double to right by Malachi Armstrong.  Hertzler grouned out to third to score Sewer for a 1-0 TNCC lead.
• The Builders found their groove in the fourth as they erupted for eight runs, seven hits with six of those being for extra-bases.  Cody Norris tripled to right to lead off the inning and scored on a Jordan Wright double to left center.  Countiss followed with a double to right center to score Wright for a 2-1 Apprentice School lead.
• The extra-base hits kept coming as Labrador tripled to left center scoring Countiss and Hendrickson followed with a double to left center to push the lead to 4-1.  After a walk to Rossi, Christian Burton ended the extra-base hit barrage with a double to left center to score Hendrickson for a 5-1 lead.  Richardson ended the RBI run with a single to score Collin Wilber who had walked to put the lead to 8-1.

BEHIND THE BOX – GAME 2

• Five Builders pitchers kept the Gators to five hits in the game as Sam Massie earned his fourth win with one inning of work and three strikeouts.
• Labrador and Hendrickson were again 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run driven in apiece.  Joining them in the multi-hit club were Richardson (2-for-3 with RBI) and Wright (2-for-3 (run scored, RBI).

NEXT UP – USCAA NATIONALS

The Builders return to War Memorial Stadium on May 13 to start the 2015 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series as they'll face Rochester College (MI) at 6:30 pm.  It's the fifth of six games that day.