Gators at .500 in Region

The Virginia Peninsula Community College baseball team is at .500 halfway through its Region 10 schedule. It's the first time in program history the team has a non-losing conference record this late in the season, according to coach Shane Harrison.

That is despite the Gators losing two of three to Surry Community College (N.C.) this past weekend, the No.7 ranked team in the country. The Region 10 series, which was moved to Hampton High School because of a scheduling conflict at War Memorial Stadium and wet field conditions at Peninsula Catholic High School, started well for the Gators (7-20, 6-6).

In Saturday's doubleheader split, the Gators took the opener 4-1, but lost the nightcap 7-3. In the first game, Aidan Feather (Grassfield High School/Chesapeake) had a two-run home run in the third inning, and Marco Fernandez (Spanish River/Fla.) added a two-run single in the fifth to account for VPCC's runs. Israel Dozier (Kempsville/Virginia Beach) had two hits, both doubles, and scored twice. Hayden Felker (Manchester/Richmond) earned his first win of the season, pitching 7 2/3 innings and giving up just three hits and one run. Zack Easton (Hermitage/Richmond) earned his first save with 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief.

The Gators couldn't keep the momentum going in the second game, even though they had as many hits (8) as the Knights. Justin Bryson (Arbor View/Las Vegas) and Austin Smith (Creekside/Ga.) had two hits each, and Dozier and Feather drove in runs.

On Sunday, the Gators fell behind 7-1 after 6 ½ innings, but tied the game with two runs in the seventh and four in the eighth. Tyler Stobbs (Spotswood/Harrisonburg) had a two-run single in the seventh. In the eighth, Jayden Alvarez (Woodside/Newport News), who scored three times, drove in one run with a single, and Feather followed with a three-run homer, his third hit of the game.

However, the visitors pushed across two runs in the top of the ninth for the victory.

In a midweek non-region doubleheader at Mid-Atlantic Christian University in North Carolina, VPCC lost 11-7 and 8-1. In the first game, the Gators used a five-run third inning to take a 6-3 lead. Sean Burns Jr. (Woodside/Newport News), who had three hits, keyed the inning with a two-run single. However, the Gators gave up eight runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to fall behind. Feather had three hits, including a home run, and scored twice for the Gators.

In the second game, the Mustangs again scored late to put away the game. Smith, who had two hits, tied the game in the fourth inning with a single, but the hosts responded with two runs in the fourth and five in the fifth for the win.

The Gators have a doubleheader Saturday, March 29, against Mid-Atlantic Christian University at War Memorial Stadium starting at noon. Between the games, VPCC's graduating sophomores will be honored in a ceremony.

For more information on VPCC, visit www.vpcc.edu.