Baseball falls to Virginia Wesleyan, 8-5

(Norfolk, Virginia) The Rivier University Baseball team dropped their final game of the season opening spring break trip, 8-5 to the hosts Virginia Wesleyan College this afternoon in Norfolk, Virginia. Junior Alex Mears (Salem, NH) pitched well for the Raiders but three defensive miscues allowed the Marlins to hand him his second loss of the season.

Mears tossed 5 1/3 innings giving up 8 runs (6 earned) on 13 hits while striking out six. The bullpen duo of sophomore Spencer Aguiar (Malden, Mass.) and junior Lucas Palma (Bristol, Conn.) combined to hold WVC scoreless for the rest of the game.

Sophomore Taylor Black (Springfield, Mass.) and freshman Zachary St. Cyr (Rochester, NH) combined for four of the team's 9 hits in the ballgame. Black had the big hit for Rivier as his eighth inning triple plated two runs to bring Rivier within three. Sophomore Frederick O'Brien (South Boston, Mass.) added a RBI hit and junior David Cusack (Newburyport, Mass.) provided a RBI base knock in the loss.

Rivier (0-7) will return to New England and prepare to play at Mass Maritime on Sunday afternoon in Buzzards Bay.