DANVILLE, Va. – The Marymount (Va.) University baseball team opened up the 2017 season on the right note, taking a twin bill on Saturday afternoon over Averett University. 

Game One: Marymount 3, Averett 1 

Junior Collin Bazemore threw out the first pitch of a hopeful year for the Saints, keeping the Cougars from crossing over home plate through four innings. 

By the third inning, the Saints put the runs on board. With seniors Lorenzo Calderon and Brandon Orbe on first and second, senior Brandon Savage stepped into the box to smack a double down the right-field line to bring home Calderon for the first run of the season. 

A few batters later, sophomore Nick Smutko brought around Orbe on an infield single, before a bases-loaded walk of junior Kaden Darrow scored Savage to push a 3-0 advantage. 

Working through 4.1 innings, Bazemore was relieved by senior John LaMotta. The Cougars managed to bring around one run in the inning, but that's all the Saints would allow the rest of the game. 

LaMotta held strong for 2.1 innings of work, before sophomore Conner Hall moved from shortstop top the mound for the final out of the game to register his first save of the year. 

Bazemore earned the victory on the mound, tossing 4.1 innings for three hits, one earned run, two walks, and four strikeouts. 

Game Two: Marymount 11, Averett 4 

The second half of the twin bill played much closer up until the final inning when Marymount put away seven runs to bolster an 11-4 advantage to head into the final three defensive outs. 

Tied up at 4-4 heading to the seventh, the Saints wrecked havoc with the bat, smacking seven hits for seven runs. Against with Calderon and Orbe on base after a bunt single and a hit by pitch, Savage singled a ball up right center to score Calderon. 

A wild pitch two batters later brought around Orbe, before junior Stephen Berczek knocked a single to left field to score Savage. A single by Smutko would push a pitching change, but that didn't do much as junior Hayes Nelson stepped in to connect on a double down the left-field line to score Smutko and Berczek. 

With Nelson already in scoring position, Darrow came up next to hit another double to score Nelson before the Saints came to the top of the order and Calderon hit a single to score Darrow. 

On the mound for the game, junior Dylan Gerdts had the start, working 4.1 innings for four strikeouts. Hall came in for relief for the final 2.2 innings, earning the win after giving up just one hit. 

The Saints continue on the road on Wednesday, February 22, traveling to Hampden-Sydney College for a single nine-inning matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.