Box Score

BECKLEY, W.Va. – Shepherd University (35-13) used a 13-hit attack en route to an 8-4 win over  West Virginia State (28-21) in first day action of the MEC Baseball Tournament at Linda K. Epling Stadium on Thursday.

Shepherd took a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Junior outfielder Nick Atkinson (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park/VCU) led off with a triple and scored on a triple by sophomore outfielder Brenton Doyle (Warrenton, Va./Kettle Run). Sophomore first baseman Christian Hamel (Pasadena, Md./IMG Academy) followed with an RBI-single and  Hamel scored on a two-run blast off the bat of junior outfielder Justin Smith (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg/Hagerstown CC).

The Rams added a run in the sixth as senior third baseman Chase Hoffman (Middletown, Md./Middletown) reached on a walk and later scored on an error.

West Virginia State scored a pair of runs in the seventh on a two-run double by Ryan McDonough.

The Rams added two runs in the seventh on a solo homer by Atkinson and an RBI-single by Smith.

The Yellow Jackets completed the scoring with two runs in the ninth behind RBI-singles by Daniel Rutherford and Jonathan Cline.

Smith went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Atkinson added a 3-for-5 effort with two RBI and a pair of runs scored to pace the Rams.

Trevor Sampson and McDonough each had a pair of hits for the Yellow Jackets.

Junior starter Ryan Potts (Owings, Md./Northern) (9.0 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 9 K, 2 BB) (10-1) gained the complete game win for the Rams. Colby Gainer (6.1 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 K, 1 BB) (6-4) took the loss for the Yellow Jackets.

The Rams return to action on Friday when they face the loser of today's West Liberty-Concord game at 3:30 p.m.