Gulls Rally To Top PHCC
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

DANVILLE, VA --- Rappahannock Community College scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to post a 15-9 come from behind victory over Patrick Henry Community College. The Patriots led the Gulls 9-7 entering the sixth but couldn't hold the lead. Rappahannock advances to the Championship game tomorrow as Patrick Henry falls into the losers bracket and will face the winner of game eight between Danville C.C. and Southside C.C.

Thomas Sappelt stayed hot in the tournament going 3-for-3 with three doubles and two RBIs. Jesse Morrison was 2-for-3 with his third home run of the season and two RBIs. Jonathon Morton and Justin Clark were also each 2-for-3 on the day. Jorden Rea added the other hit for the Patriots.

Patriot starter D.J. Turpin was lifted after just an inning plus of work, allowing two hits and three walks. Chris Denney worked four innings of relief, allowing 10 hits and six runs, five of them being earned. Ryan Forbes was strapped with the loss, allowing the eventual go ahead run in the sixth inning. Ryan Enoch and Justin Gilley also worked in relief for PHCC.

The Patriots will return to action on Sunday at noon at Dan Daniels Park in Danville. The Patriots will need three straight wins to capture the VCCS Tournament Title.

Patriots Advance in VCCS
Friday, May 2, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

DANVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots will face Rappahannock Community College Saturday at 3:00 PM in the semi-final round of the VCCS tournament after advancing with two wins on Friday at Dan Daniels Park in Danville. The Patriots knocked off Southwest Virginia Community College in the early game on Friday by a score of 13-6. The Patriots advanced to the winner's bracket final with a 9-1 win over second seed Danville in the evening contest.

Joe Vita picked up his third win of the season working four innings in relief of starter Zach Morris. Vita allowed two runs on three hits while striking out six in the game one win over Southwest. Luke Mitchell was 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the Patriots 10 hit offensive attack. Jeremy Sprague was 1-for-4 with four RBIs as well. Thomas Sappelt and Justin Clark each went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Ed Clark and Jesse Morrison added one hit each for PHCC.

The game began roughly for the Patriots as starter Zach Morris allowed four Eagle run to cross the plate in the top of the first. The Patriots would battle back to score two in the first, one in the second, and one in the fourth to tie things at 4-4.

Seven errors by Southwest would lead to their downfall beginning in the fifth inning. The Patriots would erupt for five in the fifth and four more in the sixth to make it 13-4 after six innings. The Eagles would push across two runs in the top of seventh but it wasn't enough as the Patriots improved to 38-18 on the season.

In the night cap the Patriots rode the arm of Jeremy Sprague to a 9-1 win over number two seed and tournament host Danville Community College. Sprague pitched a complete game allowing just one run on four hits while walking two and striking nine in seven innings of work.

The Patriot offense got to Danville C.C. ace Wesley Francis early, scoring once in the first and four more in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Danville would cut into the PHCC lead with a single run in the third, but it would be as close as they would get as the Patriots added four insurance runs in the top of the seventh to seal the win. Opposition errors once again benefited the Patriots as two Danville errors led the four unearned runs in the third inning.

Thomas Sappelt was 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and two RBIs. Jonathon Morton was 2-for-4 with three runs scored from the lead-off spot in the line-up. Luke Mitchell, Jorden Rea, Taylor Smith, and Justin Clark each added a hit in the Patriots nine hit attack.

The Patriots will look to advance to the VCCS Championship Game in a match-up with Rappahannock Community College at 3:00 PM on Saturday.

Patriots Head to Tournament
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots will open VCCS Tournament play on Friday against Southwest Virginia Community College at 1:00 PM at Dan Daniels Park in Danville, VA. The Patriots finished the regular season in third place with a 15-5 conference record. The Patriots will send Zach Morris to the mound to start game one against the Eagles. A Patriot win would put the Patriots in a match-up with second place Danville C.C. on Friday Night at 7:00 PM.

The other first round game will have the fourth seed Southside Community College against five seed New River Community College at 10:00 AM. The winner of that contest will face number one seed Rappahannock C.C. at 4:00 PM.

Complete Tournament Bracket for Friday:
Game One - #4 Southside C.C. vs. #5 New River C.C.
Game Two - #3 Patrick Henry C.C. vs. #6 Southwest Virginia C.C.
Game Three - #1 Rappahannock C.C. vs. #4 Southside C.C.
Game Four - #2 Danville C.C. vs. #3 Patrick Henry C.C.

Tournament Bracket for Saturday:
Game Five - #6 Southwest Virginia C.C. vs. #4 Southside C.C.
Game Six - #5 New River C.C. vs. #2 Danville C.C.
Game Seven - #1 Rappahannock C.C. vs. #3 Patrick Henry C.C.
Game Eight - #4 Southside C.C. vs. #2 Danville C.C.

Tournament Bracket for Sunday:
Game Nine - #3 Patrick Henry C.C. vs. #2 Danville C.C.
Game Ten - #1 Rappahannock C.C. vs. Game Nine Winner
Game Eleven - Game Ten Winner vs. Game Ten Loser (If Necessary)

Patriots Top Hurricanes
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots picked up their second win in two weeks over Division One Junior College powerhouse on Thursday at Hooker Field. The Patriots scored five runs over the first four innings and coasted to a 8-4 win to improve to 37-15 overall on the season.

Jarrad Hayes worked seven scoreless innings allowing just three hits while walking one and striking out three in improving his record to 4-2 on the season. Jeremy Sprague worked a scoreless eighth while Andrew York worked the ninth, allowing four runs, three of them were unearned however due to sloppy Patriot fielding.

Derek Adams had a big day at the plate going 4-for-5 with three singles, and a two run homerun, his first of the season. The Patriots banged out 16 hits off of four Louisburg pitchers. Jonathon Morton, Luke Mitchell, Brian Fox, and Justin Clark all had two hits each while Josh Davidson, Thomas Sappelt, Jorden Rea, and Sprague had one each.

The Patriots return to action on Saturday as they host Danville Community College to conclude the VCCS regular season at 1:00 PM at Hooker Field. The Patriots close out the regular season next Wednesday as they host Rockingham Community College on Wednesday Night.
 

Patriots Top #7 Louisburg
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

LOUISBURG, NC --- The Patrick Henry Patriots knocked off #7 Louisburg College by a score of 7-4 on Tuesday at Frazier Field on the Campus of Louisburg College. The Hurricanes were ranked number seven in the latest NJCAA Division One Poll. The Patriots banged out 14 hits in improving their record to 30-15 on the season.

Chris Denney picked up his fifth win of the season and his second win against a Top 10 Division One team working four innings allowing just one run one five hits while walking one and striking out two. Denney worked in relief of Ryan Forbes who worked three innings allowing three runs on five hits while walking five and striking out four.

Denney allowed the first two hitters to reach to start the eighth inning, but D.J. Turpin would allow the Hurricanes nothing as he struck out three batters in a row to preserve the 5-4 at that point. Andrew York worked a perfect ninth inning to pick up his fourth save of the season.

Jeremy Sprague was 4-for-4 to lead the offensive attack for the Patriots. Sprague drove in two runs and also scored once. Thomas Sappelt was 3-for-5 on the day while Derek Adams was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Patriots pushed across four runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by a two run double off the bat of Justin Clark. Clark finished the day with one hit and was joined in the one hit category by Jonathon Morton, Josh Davidson, Luke Mitchell, and Taylor Smith.

"I'm very proud of how the guys came to play today, to beat the number seven team in the country is something to be proud of and gives us a lot of positive momentum heading into the final weeks of the season," said PHCC Head Coach Chris Parker. "After a very rough weekend it was good to get back in the action and get win number 30," added Parker.

The Patriots return to action on Friday as they host New River Community College at 3:30 PM in a VCCS doubleheader at Hooker Field. The Patriots travel to Rappahannock on Saturday for a doubleheader with the Gulls at 2:00 PM.

Patriots Split with Danville
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

DANVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots split a doubleheader with Danville Community College on Wednesday, dropping the first game by a score of 3-2 in eight innings while battling back to win game two by a score of 6-1. The split moved the Patriots record to 26-13 overall on the season and 7-1 in the VCCS.

Game one saw a pitchers dual between PHCC starter Ryan Forbes and Danville starter Wesley Francis. Forbes worked six innings allowing just one run and three hits while walking two and striking out seven. Forbes effort would be spoiled by Patriot relievers Andrew York and Chris Denney. York worked the seventh inning for PHCC allowing the tying run to score on a wild pitch with two outs in the seventh. Denney worked the extra frame allowing two hits and the winning run, a sacrifice fly off the bat of James Dudding that scored Francis from third. With the loss, Denney drops his record to 4-2 on the season. Francis worked all eight innings for the Knights allowing just two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out four.

Josh Davidson and Thomas Sappelt were each 2-for-3 for the Patriots at the plate to pace the seven hit attack. Jesse Morrison added a two run double while Derek Adams and Justin Clark had one hit each.

Jeremy Sprague picked up his fourth win of the season in game two allowing just one run on three hits while walking two and striking out five. The Patriots had eight hits in game two, with two hits each coming from Jonathon Morton, Thomas Sappelt, and Justin Clark. Brian Fox and Luke Mitchell each had one hit for the Patriots, who scored in four of the seven innings to claim the conference win.

The Patriots return to action on Thursday as they travel to Greensboro, NC to face the Greensboro College JV team at 1:00 PM. The Patriots return home on Saturday to face Rappahannock at 2:00 PM at Hooker Field.

PHCC Drops Ferrum 9-3

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots improved to 25-12 overall on the season with a 9-3 victory over the Ferrum College JV team on Monday Night at Hooker Field. The Patriots took advantage of five Panther errors and pushed across seven runs in innings five through seven to put the game away.

Zach Morris picked up his fourth win of the season working five innings allowing just one earned run on seven hits while walking four and striking out seven on a cold and damp night at Hooker Field. D.J. Turpin worked two innings allowing one and two walks while striking out three. Chris Denney worked a scoreless eighth inning allowing just one walk and striking out one. Justin Webb rounded out things on the mound for the Patriots allowing two runs on two hits and one walk in the ninth inning.

Jesse Morrison was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI's to lead the offense for PHCC. Jonathon Morton continued his hot hitting going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while Justin Clark also added two hits and an RBI. Clark also turned an amazing double play from right field nailing a runner trying to tag from second at third base with a terrific throw from deep in right field. Josh Davidson, Thomas Sappelt, and Daren Clark each had one hit each for PHCC.

The Patriots return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Danville to face rival Danville Community College in VCCS action. The doubleheader has a scheduled start time of 2:00 PM at Dan Daniels Park.

PHCC Picks Up Two Wins

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots swept a doubleheader from Southern Virginia University on Wednesday afternoon at Hooker Field. The Patriots picked up a 3-1 win in game one and defeated the Knights 7-4 in game two. PHCC improved to 24-12 overall on the season.

Game one saw crafty lefty Ryan Forbes improve to 4-2 on the season with a complete game effort, allowing just one run on five hits while walking one and striking out one. The Patriots banged out nine hits in the 3-1 victory with Josh Davidson, Brian Fox, and Taylor Smith all going 2-fo-3. Jonathon Morton, Thomas Sappelt, and Luke Mitchell each had one hit for the Patriots.

The Patriots took advantage of 10 walks and four Southern Virginia errors to win game two 7-4, despite being out hit by the Knights by an eight to five margin. Thomas Sappelt was 2-or-2 with a double and a triple to pace the offense for PHCC. Jonathon Morton, Jeremy Sprague, and Justin Clark each added a hit in the win. Jeremy Sprague picked up the win in relief of starter Chris Denney. Sprague worked three innings allowing just one unearned run on three hits while walking three and striking out three. Denney worked the first three innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out one. Andrew York worked the final inning allowing a run on two hits while striking out one.

The Patriots will travel to Radford, VA on Saturday to face New River Community College at 2:00 PM in a VCCS doubleheader. The Patriots return home on Monday Night to face the Ferrum College JV team at 7:00 PM at Hooker Field.

Patriots Sweep Conference Twinbill
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- Patrick Henry Community College improved to 6-0 in the VCCS and 22-12 overall with a Saturday doubleheader sweep of Southside Virginia Community College. The Patriots picked up a 9-0 win in game one and a 9-3 win in game two.

D.J. Turpin was masterful in game one allowing just two hits en route to a complete game shutout as the Patriots topped the Panthers 9-0 to pick up their fifth conference win of the season. Turpin struck out nine while only walking one to improve to 3-3 on the season.

The Patriots banged out 12 hits in game one, headlined by Derek Adams going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Thomas Sappelt hit his third homerun of the season and added a single along with scoring three times and driving in two. Jeremy Sprague and Jonathon Morton added two hits each while Justin Clark, Taylor Smith, and Ed Clark added one hit each.

Game two saw the Patriots commit six errors but got a strong starting pitching effort from Jarrad Hayes to pick up the 9-3 win. Hayes worked five innings allowing just four hits while walking one and striking out four. With the win Hayes improved his record on the season to 3-1. Ryan Forbes, Joe Vita, and Justin Gilley all worked in relief, allowing no earned runs in two innings.

Luke Mitchell was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI to lead the nine hit Patriot attack. Bryan Sowers added a two RBI single in the sixth inning to give PHCC some cushion on its 6-2 lead at that point. Daren Clark and Derek Adams joined Morton, Sprague, Sappelt, and Justin Clark in getting one hit each.

The Patriots return to action on Tuesday as they travel to Fayetteville, NC to face the Methodist University JV team. The Patriots return to action at Hooker Field on Thursday at 1:00 PM for a doubleheader with Southern Virginia University.

PHCC Sweeps Doubleheader
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- Patrick Henry Community College improved to 20-12 on the season with a doubleheader sweep of Anne Arundel Community College on Thursday afternoon at sunny Hooker Field.

Zach Morris picked up the win in game one working five innings allowing just three hits and one run while walking two and striking out five. Morris improved his record on the year to 3-2. Andrew York picked up his second save of the season working 2/3 of an inning and not allowing a base runner. Jonathon Morton led the seven hit attack going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Ed Clark was 1-for-3 with two RBI's and two runs scored. Jeremy Sprague, Jesse Morrison, and Thomas Sappelt each had one hit for the Patriots.

The Patriots rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth and held off a seventh inning rally from Anne Arundel to pick up a 7-6 victory. Justin Webb picked up the win in the relief for the Patriots working 1 1/3 innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out two. Andrew York picked up his second save of the day allowing one hit and striking out one. Starting pitcher Ryan Enoch was chased from the game after working just 2 1/3 innings. Enoch allowed just two hits but struggled with control, walking four and hitting another. Justin Gilley worked 2 2/3 innings in relief of Enoch, allowing just one hit and one unearned run.

Seven different Patriots had one hit each to pace the seven hit PHCC effort. Jorden Rea was 1-for-3 with two RBI's and two runs scored to highlight the offensive output. Luke Mitchell, Derek Adams, Thomas Sappelt, Jesse Morrison, Brian Fox, and Daren Clark each had one hit each.

The Patriots return to action on Saturday as they face Southside Virginia Community College in VCCS action at Hooker Field. Start time is 2:00 PM for the doubleheader.

Patriots Split at Ferrum
Monday, March 24, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

FERRUM, VA --- A little snow and cold temperatures couldn't keep the Patrick Henry Patriots and Ferrum College Panthers from battling it out on the field on Monday. PHCC picked up the win in game one 7-1 before dropping the night cap 12-11 in eight innings.

The Patriots improved their winning streak to seven with a 7-1 victory in game one behind the arm of Ryan Forbes and the bat of Thomas Sappelt. Forbes moved his record to 3-2 on the year working six innings allowing just one hit and one unearned run while walking two and striking out three. Andrew York worked the final inning walking one and striking out two.

Thomas Sappelt was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, triple, and five runs batted in. The Patriots banged out 10 hits in the win with Jorden Rea and Derek Adams notching two hits each. Daren Clark, Jonathon Morton, Luke Mitchell, and Brian Fox added one hit each.

The Patriots allowed just six hits in game two but 10 walks and four hit batters would lead to the Patriots demise. Andrew York came out on the losing end allowing the final two runs to score in the bottom of the eighth. Jeremy Sprague, D.J Turpin, and Joe Vita also worked on the mound for PHCC.

The Patriots offense continued to stay hot banging out 14 hits and scoring 11 runs. Jeremy Sprague and Jesse Morrison each had three hits to lead the offense. Jonathon Morton, Luke Mitchell, and Thomas Sappelt added two hits each while Justin Clark and Ed Clark had one each. Sprague added three RBI's while Mitchell, Morrison, and Ed Clark had two each.

The Patriots (18-11, 4-0 VCCS) return to action on Wednesday Night as they host Guilford Tech Community College at 7:00 PM at Hooker Field.

PHCC Win Streak at Six
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots moved to 17-10 and extended their winning streak to six games with a doubleheader sweep of Mohawk Valley Community College on Thursday afternoon at Hooker Field. The Patriots picked up a 16-7 win in game one and cruised to a 12-1 five inning victory in game two.

Game one was sloppy from start to finish with both teams combining for 10 errors , seven of those belonging to Mohawk Valley. The Patriots scored 16 runs, with all but five being unearned. The home team also benefited from eight walks while notching eight hits. Daren Clark was 2-for-2 with two doubles and two runs batted in. Jonathon Morton also had two hits in game one and scored three times. Thomas Sappelt, Luke Mitchell, Jeremy Sprague, and Ed Clark added one hit each.

Justin Gilley picked up the win on the mound in relief of Jared Hayes. Hayes worked into the fifth inning before a leadoff walk and double chased him from the game. Hayes allowed seven hits and six runs, five of which were earned while walking three and striking out six. Gilley worked one inning of relief allowing one run on two hits. Joe Vita worked the final two innings allowing just one hit and striking out one.

Game two saw the Patriots erupt for eight runs in the bottom of the third to coast to a 12-1 five inning victory. Derek Adams was 3-for-3 with four runs batted in to lead the 13 hit Patriot attack. Jesse Morrison was 2-for-2 with a double and a solo homerun in the fourth inning. Thomas Sappelt and Justin Clark also added two hits and two RBI's each. Morton, Mitchell, Thomas Short, and D.J. Mitchell had one hit each.

Chris Denney moved to 4-0 on the season working five innings allowing just one run on seven hits while walking three and striking out six. His four wins currently lead the team.

PHCC will take the weekend off before return to action on Monday against the Ferrum JV team at 3:00 PM at Ferrum. The Patriots return to Hooker Field on Wednesday to face Guilford Tech at 7:00 PM.

PHCC Takes Two From Holyoke
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots dodged wind an a few raindrops to sweep a doubleheader from Holyoke Community College on Wednesday at Hooker Field. The Patriots picked up a 5-0 win in game one behind the two hit shutout from D.J. Turpin and rallied for a 5-4 win in game two.

Turpin picked up his second shutout of the season in game one allowing just two hits in seven innings and striking out eight while improving his record to 2-3 on the year. The Patriots could only manage five hits but pushed across one run in every inning except the third to claim the win. Luke Mitchell and Jesse Morrison were both 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Jonathon Morton, Jeremy Sprague, and Daren Clark added one hit each.

Holyoke would take control of game two with three runs in the third and one more in the sixth to carry a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth before the Patriot offense came to life. Jeremy Sprague's pinch hit two out, two run double in the bottom of the sixth put the Patriots within striking distance at 4-2. Justin Clark followed with a single to center field to bring home pinch runner Dustin Davis and cut the lead to just one.

In the bottom of the seventh Jonathon Morton led things off with a walk, but was picked off for the first out of the inning. Luke Mitchell and Brian Fox would each draw a walk to put the winning run on base. PHCC Head Coach Chris Parker would call on Thomas Sappelt to pinch hit for Patrick Currie, who was a pinch runner an inning earlier. A double steal by Mitchell and Fox would set the stage for Sappelt as he lined a single into the left center field gap to bring home both runners and complete the comeback for the Patriots.

Joe Vita picked up his first win of the season working an inning and a third in relief of Ryan Enoch and Andrew York. Vita allowed one hit and one walk but struck out the side with runners on second and third and no outs in the top of the seventh. The win moved the Patriots to 15-10 overall on the season.

The Patriots return to action on Thursday as they host Mohawk Valley Community College in a doubleheader at 2:00 PM at Hooker Field.

PHCC Sweeps Guilford JV
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

GREENSBORO, NC --- The Patrick Henry Patriots improved their record to 13-10 on the year with a doubleheader sweep of Guilford College JV team on Tuesday. The Patriots took game one 12-4 and used a 15 run third inning to win game two in a runaway 20-1.

Luke Mitchell was 3-for-3 in game one with two RBI's while Justin Clark was 2-for-3 with a three run homerun and two runs scored. Brian Fox added two hits while Jonathon Morton, Jeremy Sprague, Thomas Short, and Derek Adams had one each. Zach Morris picked up the win on the mound going five innings allowing just two earned runs on four hits while striking out five and walking one.

Game two was all Patriots as they pounded out 19 hits and scored 20 times in picking up a five inning mercy rule victory. Daren Clark had a big day at the plate going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five runs batted in, with three of those coming on his first homerun of the season. Jonathon Morton was 3-for-3 with three runs batted in and Luke Mitchell continued his perfect day going 3-for-3 once again with a single, double, and triple all in the third inning to go along with two RBI's.

Bryan Sowers also had a big day at the plate going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two more driven in. Dustin Davis, Jorden Rea, Thomas Short, Thomas Sappelt (3 RBI's), Jeremy Sprague (HR, 2 RBI's), D.J. Shelton, Billy Burnett, and Brian Hilton all had one hit each in the 19 hit attack.

Ryan Forbes improved to 2-2 on the season working three innings of hitless baseball to pick up the win on the mound. Forbes walked one and struck out two before giving way to Andrew York who allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out three in the final two innings.

The Patriots return to action weather permitting on Wednesday at 12:30 PM as they host Holyoke Community College in a doubleheader at Hooker Field. The Patriots also host Mohawk Valley Community College at Hooker Field on Thursday. That doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM.

Patriots Split with National Power Spartanburg Methodist
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

SPARTANBURG, SC --- Patrick Henry Community College split a doubleheader with NJCAA Division One Pre-Season #12 and 2007 World Series second runner up Spartanburg Methodist on Thursday afternoon. The Patriots picked up a 7-6 win in game one and dropped a 4-3 decision in game two.

Jorden Rea and Thomas Sappelt led the Patriots 11 hit attack with Rea going 3-for-4 with two RBI's and Sappelt going 2-for-4 with three runs scored and his second homerun of the season. Brian Fox and Luke Mitchell also added two hits each while Jonathon Morton and Jesse Morrison added one each. Chris Denney improved to 3-0 on the season working five innings allowing six earned run and 10 hits while walking one and striking out four. Andrew York picked up his first save of the season working two innings and allowing no runs and one hit.

The Patriots would come up just short in game two as Spartanburg Methodist pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth and held on in the seventh to claim the win. Daren Clark and Derek Adams each had two hits each for PHCC while Morrison, Sappelt, and Fox added one each. Four different pitchers saw action on the mound for the Patriots with Ryan Enoch eventually taking the loss allowing the go ahead run in the bottom of the sixth.

"I'm very happy with the way we played today and I'm excited about the progress we have made over the last week," said PHCC Head Coach Chris Parker. "We've played some very strong competition over the last week and this has no doubt made us a better baseball team," added Parker. "To pick up a win over a nationally ranked program like Spartanburg Methodist says a lot about the direction our program is headed in," said Parker.

The Patriots will take a few days off and return to action next Tuesday against Guilford College in Greensboro before returning home next Wednesday to face Holyoke Community College at Hooker Field.

PHCC Drops Two at North Florida
Monday, March 10, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MADISON, FL --- Patrick Henry Community College battled the number nine ranked team in Florida on Monday and came away with two close losses on the afternoon to North Florida Community College, a 8-6 defeat in game one and a 8-3 loss in game two. The losses dropped the Patriots to 10-9 overall on the season but put everyone on notice that the PHCC program is certainly on the rise.

Unearned runs would be the difference in Game one as the Patriots committed three errors and allowed three unearned runs to cross the plate in the 8-6 loss. Ryan Forbes pitched a complete game, allowing nine hits and five earned runs while walking one and striking out one. The Patriots had nine hits in the game, with Thomas Sappelt and Ed Clark posting two each while Josh Davidson, Jeremy Sprague, Jorden Rea, and Brian Fox adding one each. Jonathon Morton was 1-for-4 with a two run homerun and three runs batted in.

The long ball would be the difference in game two as North Florida got homeruns from Brant Hamilton and Juan Perez to claim the 5-3 win. Zach Morris worked five innings for the Patriots allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits while walking three and striking out one. Taylor Smith was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and two RBI's. Josh Davidson and Daren Clark added one hit each.

The Patriots (10-9) return to action on Thursday against Region X powerhouse Spartanburg Methodist in a doubleheader at 1:00 PM in Spartanburg.

Tallahassee C.C. Sweeps Doubleheader
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- The Tallahassee Community College Eagles swept a doubleheader from Patrick Henry Community College on Sunday afternoon in Tallahassee. The Eagles took game one 10-4 and game two by a score of 10-3. The doubleheader loss dropped the Patriots to 10-7 overall on the season.

Game one saw Tallahassee jump to a 4-1 lead after the first inning and cruise to a 10-4 win. Jeremy Sprague notched nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings but allowed four walks and nine hits while allowing seven earned runs to drop his record to 2-1 on the season. Josh Davidson was 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI to lead the Patriots eight hit attack. Greg Cassady added two hits while Jesse Morrison, Thomas Sappelt, and Jonathon Morton had one each. Chris Denney worked the final 2 1/3 innings allowing no earned runs on three hits with one strikeout.

The Patriots scored two runs in the top of the third in game two but the Eagles made short life of the Patriots lead scoring six runs in the bottom of the inning and four more in the fourth to put the game away. Justin Clark, Luke Mitchell, Jorden Rea, Jesse Morrison, Brian Fox, and Daren Clark each had a hit for PHCC. D.J. Turpin dropped to 1-3 on the season allowing six earned runs on four hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings of work. Joe Vita worked a scoreless 2 1/3 innings allowing only three hits and no runs.

The Patriots return to action on Monday as they travel across Florida to face North Florida C.C. in Madison, FL for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 PM.

Patriots Drop Opener in Tallahassee
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- The Patrick Henry Patriots trip south started off on a bad note on Saturday as Tallahassee Community College got runs early and often to post a 13-2 victory. Patriots starter Jarrad Hayes saw his record to drop to 2-1 after allowing eight runs (six earned) and six hits in 4 1/3 innings on the mound. Ryan Enoch struggled in relief allowing three more runs in 2/3 of an inning.

Tallahassee was on top 11-0 until the top of the seventh when Thomas Sappelt notched his first homerun of the season, a solo shot to left to put the Patriots on the board. The Patriots would struggle at the plate most of the day, scoring just two runs and picking up just six hits. Taylor Smith had two hits on the day while Luke Mitchell, Josh Davidson and Jesse Morrison added one each.

Konrad Zielonka picked up the win for the Eagles allowing just three hits and striking out one in six innings of work. Tallahassee had 10 hitters chip in with at least one hit in the 14 hit attack.

The two teams will meet again for a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 2:00 PM.

Turpin Throws No Hitter for PHCC
Patriots Sweep Twinbill from Southwest VA CC
Friday, February 29, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots moved to 7-3 (2-0 VCCS) on the season with a 10-0 five inning victory over Southwest Virginia Community College in Game One of a doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Hooker Field and followed that up with a 16-0 win in Game Two. D.J. Turpin was the star of game one allowing no hits while walking three and striking out 10 in five innings of work. After struggling in his first two outings, the third time was the charm as he was completely in control in the no-hitter.

The Patriots banged out 11 hits in the win, with Greg Cassady, Jeremy Sprague, Thomas Sappelt, and Jonathon Morton leading the way with two hits each. Sappelt added three RBI's and scored twice while Morton had two RBI's and two runs scored.

Game two was almost a mirror image of the first game as Ryan Forbes carried a no-hitter of his own into the fifth and final inning only to see Southwest notch two hits in the final frame. Forbes finished the day going five innings allowing just two hits while walking just two and striking out eight.

The Patriots improved it's team batting average to .363 on the season with 11 more hits in game two. Ed Clark continued his hot start going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two runs batted in. On the season Clark is hitting .700 through 10 games. Greg Cassady kept his early season success going with a 3-for-3 effort as well with two doubles and three runs batted in to improve his average to .480. Jesse Morrison also had a big day at the plate going 2-for-4 with a season high six runs batted in.

In four games on Thursday and Friday the Patriots outscored their opponents 62-2 and limited the opposition to just eight hits in 20 innings of play. All four games were called in the fifth inning due to the 10 run slaughter rule.

The Patriots return to action on Sunday as they host New River Community College in another VCCS Conference doubleheader at 1:00 PM at Hooker Field.

Wytheville No Match for PHCC
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- Thursday was a very historic day for Wytheville Community College as for the first time in school history it's baseball team took to the field. The joy and excitement was quickly put to silence as the Patrick Henry Patriots bats came alive, posting 15-0 and 21-2 wins in a doubleheader sweep on a cold day at Hooker Field.

Game one saw nine different Patriots post at least one hit in the 15 hit attack with Justin Clark leading the way with a 3-for-3 effort. Jeremy Sprague picked up his second win of the season working four innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six. Josh Davidson, Taylor Smith, Brian Fox, and Jonathon Morton all had two hits in the 4 1/2 inning contest.

Game two was much of the same story as Wytheville pitchers struggled to find the plate and when they did the Patriot hitters made them pay. The Patriots banged out 14 more hits in game two and took advantage of 11 Wytheville walks to cruise to a 21-2 win in a game that was shortened to just 4 1/2 innings. Bassett's Ed Clark was 3-for-4 in game two with two triples and four runs batted in. Fox picked up two more hits on the day in game two while nine others picked up a hit. Josh Davidson picked up the win on the mound working three innings and allowing just one hit while striking out three.

The Patriots return to action on Friday at Hooker Field as they host their first conference match up of the year as Southwest Virginia Community College visits Hooker Field for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 PM.

Patriots Win One of Two at Rockingham
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Doug Gibson, PHCC Sports Information Director

Wentworth, NC --- The Patrick Henry Patriots continued an early season trend as for the third time in just a week the Patriots could manage just a doubleheader split, this time with border rival Rockingham Community College in a non-conference early season match-up in Wentworth.

Game one of the day say the Patriots score five times in the top of the sixth inning to pull away from a tight game throughout to claim a 10-5 victory. Greg Cassady was the offensive hero going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in. Cassady provided a spark early in the game launching the Patriots first homerun of the season with a shot to right field in the first inning. Jeremy Sprague, Justin Clark, Jonathon Morton, and Derek Adams all had two hits each in the Patriots 13 hit attack.

"Cassady really provided a spark for us early today with the homerun and his play in the field," said Patriots Head Coach Chris Parker. "I was really impressed with the way we swung the bat in the first game getting 13 hits, but it was also a disappointment to turn around and manage just three in the second game," added Parker.

Jarrad Hayes picked up his first win of the season on the mound going five innings allowing just three earned runs on five hits while striking out three and walking three. Chris Denney pitched the final two innings allowing just one unearned run.

As the temperature cooled during the afternoon so did the Patriot bats. Game two saw the Eagles claim a 7-3 win in a game shortened to six innings due to darkness. The Patriots could manage just three hits in the loss, those coming from Cassady, Sprague, and David Adams.

On the mound D.J. Turpin saw his record fall to 0-2 on the season allowing four earned runs on six hits in four innings of work. Turpin allowed just one walk and struck out four. Andrew York pitched one inning of relief allowing two unearned runs. The Patriots committed six errors in game two and saw their record drop to 3-3 on the season.

This weekend's games with Frederick Community College have been cancelled due to the upcoming expected bad weather. "The weather in Maryland was going to be worse than what is expected here so there was some concern about Frederick not being able to make it down on Friday or Saturday to play so the decision was made to go ahead and cancel," said Parker.

PHCC Splits with Suffolk

Luke Mitchell, Brian Fox, and Jesse Morrison had big games at
the plate in a 9-6 Game Two Victory.

Sunday, February 17, 2008
By RUSS CARTER - Bulletin Sports Writer

After a 5-1 loss to Suffolk County Community College, the Patrick Henry Community College baseball team came back to win the tail-end of a doubleheader 9-6 on Saturday at Hooker Field. The Patriots were slow out of the gate, getting just two hits in their first seven innings, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits in loss.

But as the temperature declined, the Patriots’ bats began heating up. With a quick turnaround going into the second game, the Pats produced their 9 runs on 10 hits, scoring 5 in the first inning. “We just couldn’t get anything going offensively in the first game,” Head Coach Chris Parker said. “But in the second game we came out pounding the ball.”

Suffolk, which started the season with two preseason All-Americans and won the Junior College World Series two years ago, played a solid first game but was outhit in the second. “They are down a little on talent from where they were before,” Parker said of the New York school. “But any time you have two preseason All-Americans, you’re in a pretty good place.”

So splitting with Suffolk was a pretty good start for the Patriots, made up mostly of freshmen. A slow start was not that surprising for the team because its first two games were rained out. PHCC’s first scheduled game was rained out on Wednesday, and the Patriots were forced to play a doubleheader on Saturday due to field conditions on Friday.

Parker added that he thinks it took his team a little time to get into the swing of things, but he feels the team is headed in a positive direction. “Our pitching struggled a little bit, but they’ll get better as we get into it.” he added.

Jarrad Hayes started the first game, pitching four innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits. D.J. Turpin was credited with the loss, giving up 4 runs in three innings. In the second game, a couple of wild pitches and hit batsmen allowed Suffolk to stay in the game.

Starting pitcher Ryan Forbes pitched 31⁄3, giving up 3 runs with 3 strikeouts. Chris Denney got the win, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits with 3 strikeouts, and Andrew York got the save, pitching 3 innings and earning 1 strikeout.

As far as offense, Parker said he was pleased with his team’s efforts in the second game. “We are just getting a feel on who’ll produce for us all year,” he said. “Jesse Morrison (of Patrick County) and Luke Mitchell really stepped up to the plate and did what they needed to do for us. That gives us a real positive outlook on things.”

Mitchell finished the second game 2 for 3 at the plate with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Morrison finished 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs.  Brian Fox also produced for PHCC, going 3 for 3 at the plate with an RBI and 2 runs scored. The Patriots will play Burlington County Community College on Tuesday at Hooker Field at 1 p.m. Burlington also has two preseason All-Americans on its roster.

Patriot Baseball Opens on Road Saturday

Monday, February 11, 2008
By RUSS CARTER - Bulletin Sports Writer

The Patrick Henry Community College baseball team returned only eight players to its 2008 roster and will play a harder schedule then it did last year, but Head Coach Chris Parker is hoping for nothing less than a conference championship. After the Patriots finished 26-25 last season and took second place in the Virginia Community College System Conference, Parker said he is optimistic about this year’s team. “We finished second last year without recruiting,” Parker said. “This year, talent-wise, we are a good five steps ahead of where we finished last year.”

Although PHCC will have a VCCS schedule and will compete in that league’s tournament at the end of the season, the Patriots also will play a National Junior College Association Region 10 schedule. The team will make the full transition into the NJCAA next year and was allowed to recruit players for this year’s team. Parker said he thinks Virginia has been starving for junior college baseball, and by moving to the association, players won’t have to leave the state to play in the NJCAA. He added that PHCC now will be able to attract players from across the country, which will benefit the team.

This year’s Patriots returned Josh Davidson (CF), who finished last year with a .336 batting average, the highest on the team, with 36 runs scored. Team captain Jonathon Morton (2B), who also finished with 36 runs scored, returned with a .321 average from last year. Morton also finished the season with 27 stolen bases and was voted to the Second Team All-Conference and First Team All-Tournament teams and was named tournament MVP. In addition, Ryan Forbes returned to the mound after a 5-2 record after being selected as All-Conference Tournament Pitcher.

New to the Patriots are transfers Jorden Rea, Luke Mitchell, Jeremy Sprague, Andrew York, Justin Clark, Brian Fox and Derek Adams. All players transferred from four-year universities. Parker said he thinks the transfers will fill the void of the players who left last year’s team, and they will play leadership roles for the younger players. PHCC also picked up Greg Cassady, Ed Clark, Jesse Morrison, Taylor Smith and Zach Morris from the area during the off-season.

“We are looking for an exciting season,” Parker said. “We have a big schedule for a two-year team and will be playing teams from the entire East Coast.” Parker added that he is optimistic about the team’s preparation for the season, which will begin Tuesday against Wilkes Community College. “I think we are in pretty good shape overall,” the coach said. “We’ve been practicing since January 7, but I’ll be glad to get that first game under our belts.”

PHCC Routs Surry Community College
April 19, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots scored a season high 15 runs and cruised to a 15-2 victory over Surry Community College on Thursday evening at Hooker Field.

The Patriots pushed across 12 runs over the first three innings and rode the arm of Ryan Forbes on a cool, rainy spring evening in Martinsville. The Patriots banged out 13 hits on the day and were aided by five Surry errors. Josh Davidson, Jonathan Morton, Chris Martin, and Bobby Eggleston all had two hits each to pace the Patriot offense. Chad Robertson, Dustin Mantz, Logan Snider, Zac Gantt, and Colin Roberts all had a hit apiece. Robertson and Gantt each had three runs batted in and Davidson and Morton each scored three times each.

Ryan Forbes picked up his third win of the season and his first complete game of the season. In seven innings of work Forbes allowed just three hits on two runs while walking four and striking out seven.

The Patriots got back to the .500 mark on the season with the win improving to 19-19 on the season. The Patriots will travel to Pulaski on Sunday to face New River C.C. at 1:00 PM at Calfee Park.

Former Patriot Picks Up Honor
April 12, 2007


Ahmed Shelton, a 2006 member of the PHCC Baseball team was recently named the USA South Pitcher of the Year after an excellent season for Averett University in Danville. A freshman from Lynchburg, Virginia, Shelton posted an 8-0 record, a 2.33 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched this spring. Shelton's innings pitched and wins were conference highs. In conference play, Shelton was 5-0 while opponents batted just .206 against him. He led the Cougars in wins, innings pitched, complete games and strikeouts. For his efforts, Shelton received First-Team All-Conference honors.

PHCC Splits Doubleheader with Rockingham
April 10, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots picked up a doubleheader split with Rockingham Community College on Tuesday afternoon at Hooker Field. The Eagles rallied back from a 8-1 deficit to defeat the Patriots 9-8 in game one. PHCC rode the arm of pitcher Joey Howard to a 3-1 win in game two.

Game one saw the Patriots explode for eight runs in the first two innings. Rockingham would battle back and eventually take the lead in the top of the seventh inning and held on in the bottom of the seventh to take the 9-8 win. The Patriots banged out 11 hits in game one with Chad Robertson, Bobby Eggleston, Logan Snider, and Joe Vita all getting two hits each.

Joey Howard was the story of game two for PHCC. The freshman worked all seven innings on the mound allowing no earned runs and just four hits in the 3-1 win. PHCC could only produce three hits in the game but it was enough to claim their only victory over Rockingham in four games this season.

The Patriots are now 18-17 (5-3 VCCS) on the season and will travel to Rappahannock this weekend to face the Conference leading Gulls on Saturday at 1:00 PM.

PHCC Extends Winning Streak to Nine
April 2, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The PHCC baseball team extended its winning streak to nine games on Monday with a 13-3 win over Greensboro College at Hooker Field. The Patriots would push across 10 runs in the first three innings and cruised to the victory. Joey Howard improved his record on the mound to 4-3 working five innings allowing just one earned run and four hits while striking out six and walking two.

Chad Robertson was 2-for-3 at the plate with 2 RBI's to lead the offensive attack. Bobby Eggleston also had two hits for the Patriots. The Greensboro pitching helped out the Patriots all day long walking nine batters and hitting three more. The Patriots are now 15-14 on the season and will return to action Wednesday at Averett University.

Baseball Wins Conference Doubleheader
March 31, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- With NASCAR in town for the weekend the Patrick Henry Patriots raced their way back to the .500 mark on the season with a doubleheader sweep of Southside Virginia Community College on Saturday afternoon. As the engines roared just a few miles down the road the Patriots bats were also roaring, pounding out 22 hits in the two games.

In game one the Patriots captured an extra inning win as Logan Snider singled home Clyde Brooks in the bottom of the ninth inning to claim the 5-4 victory. Jesse Forbes was the starter on the mound for the Patriots. Forbes worked 4 2/3 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out six. Jesse gave way to brother Ryan, who was almost perfect working the final 4 1/3 allowing just one hit while striking out six and walking just one. Chad Robertson, Josh Davidson, Bobby Eggleston, Zac Gantt, and Jonathan Morton all had two hits apiece in game one.

Game two saw the Patriots jump out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning and cruised the rest of the way out behind the arm of Josh Joseph. Joseph didn't allow a base runner until the 5th inning. Southside would push across three runs over the final two innings but it wasn't enough to overcome the seven run lead built by the Patriots. Joseph finished the day working 6 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two. Justin Gilley worked the final 2/3 of an innings, allowing a hit and a walk. Chris Martin and Logan Snider each had two hits for the Patriots while Dustin Mantz was 1-for-3 with a bases loaded double in the fifth inning.

The Doubleheader sweep moves the Patriots back to .500 at 14-14 on the season and 5-3 in VCCS Conference play. The Patriots return to action on Monday at 2:30 PM against Greensboro College in a single nine inning contest.

PHCC Sweeps Doubleheader with New River C.C.
March 25, 2007

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- The Patrick Henry Patriots swept a doubleheader with New River C.C. on Sunday at Hooker Field. PHCC picked up a 10-0 win in game one followed by a 13-0 win in game two. Josh Joseph was stellar on the mound in game one allowing just three hits while striking out 12 in six innings of work. Josh Davidson and Chris Martin were each 3-for-4 at the plate and Jonathan Morton had four RBI.

Game two saw the Patriots push across 13 runs in just four innings and got five shutout innings on the mound from Jesse Forbes and Kevin Coles. Logan Snider and Dustin Mantz were each 3-for-3 with a homerun apiece and two RBI. Forbes picked up his second win of the season working the first three innings on the mound. Coles worked the final two innings to close out the game.

The Patriots return to action at home on Wednesday as they face Ferrum College at 3:00 PM.

PHCC Baseball Ends Florida Trip with Win
March 15, 2007
By Doug Gibson - Sports Information Director/Assistant Coach

WEST PALM BEACH, FL --- The Patrick Henry Patriots closed out their 2007 spring break trip with a win over the Inter County Terriers on Thursday at Santaluces Sports Complex in West Palm Beach, Florida by a score of 6-4. The Terriers, a team of All Stars from Canada defeated PHCC 21-6 on Monday but it was the Patriots getting a little revenge Thursday morning.

Joey Howard picked up his second win of the season working 5 2/3 innings allowing just two earned runs on four hits while striking out four. Justin Gilley retired a batter to close out the sixth inning and Josh Joseph made a rare appearance out of the bullpen to close out the game and pick up the save. Chris Martin was 1-for-3 at the plate with two runs batted in to lead the offensive attack. Ryan Enoch was 2-for-4 with a run scored on the day. Chad Robertson and Josh Davidson also had a hit for PHCC.

The Patriots dropped a close decision to Division II Junior College power house Delaware State on Wednesday afternoon. PHCC pushed across four runs in the bottom of the first but Delaware Tech battled back and carried a 8-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh. The Patriots would push three runners across but could muster the tying and dropped the game 8-7. Logan Snider was 3-for-3 at the plate with a solo homerun on the day. Bobby Eggleston was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Chris Martin, Ryan Enoch, and Josh Joseph each had a hit in the effort. Jesse Forbes took the loss on the mound allowing three earned runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings of work.

The Patriots (5-11 overall, 0-2 VCCS) return to action on Saturday at Hooker Field as they play host to Holyoke Community College at Noon. The Patriots travel to Emporia, VA on Sunday to face Southside Community College at 1:00 PM.

Patriots Top Union County, Drop Two Others
March 13, 2007
By Doug Gibson – Sports Information Director/Assistant Coach

 WEST PALM BEACH, FL --- The Patrick Henry Baseball club is currently 1-2 on their West Palm Beach trip after dropping games to Brookdale Community College and the Inter County Terriers while defeating Union County College.

 The Patriots opened the week on Sunday dropping a game to the #3 ranked Brookdale Community College 18-8. Brookdale turned a close 8-5 game into an easy win scoring 10 runs over the final three innings to claim the win. Logan Snider led the offense for PHCC going 2-for-2 with three runs batted in. Zac Gantt and Chris Martin also had two hits each for the Patriots.

 The Inter County Terriers, a team of All Stars from Canada pulled away late in game one on Monday to claim a 21-6 win. The game was in reach for PHCC through four innings but a late surge by the Terriers broke the game open in the late innings. Chris Martin was 1-for-3 with two runs batted in for PHCC.

 PHCC closed out action on Monday snapping a seven game skid dropping Union County 6-1 behind a complete game pitching effort from pitching ace Josh Joseph. Joseph worked seven innings allowing just one run on four hits while walking four and striking out five. Clyde Brooks was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs batted in to lead the offensive attack. Joe Vita delivered an RBI single to add some insurance for the Patriots and some costly Union County errors sealed the game late for PHCC.

 The Patriots return to action tomorrow at 1:30 pm in West Palm Beach against Delaware Tech and close out their week in Florida with a rematch with the Inter County Terriers on Thursday at 9:00 am. The Patriots will be back in action on Saturday at Hooker Field against Holyoke College at 12:00 pm.

MARTINSVILLE, VA --- Danville Community College spoiled the home opener for the Patrick Henry Patriots on Sunday taking a doubleheader to open VCCS Conference play by scores of 7-2 and 3-2. Danville took control of Game One with a first inning grand slam from Chris Perkins. The Patriots would push across two runs in the bottom half of the first but that was as close as they would get. Chad Robertson was 2-for-4 with a run scored while Chris Martin and Zac Gantt each had one hit. Josh Joseph took the loss pitching a complete game allowing six earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven.

Game Two was close throughout with Danville pushing across two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead, they would hold the Patriots scoreless in the 6th and 7th innings to claim the win. PHCC's Jesse Forbes and Danville's Tyler Clarke were locked in a pitchers dual throughout the game. Forbes went 5 2/3 innings allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out five. Clarke went the distance for the Knights, allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out seven. Chad Robertson, Ryan Enoch, and Josh Davidson had the lone hits for PHCC, who saw their record drop to 3-8 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

The Patriots will take a week off before traveling to West Palm Beach, Florida to compete in the Papa John's Challenge on March 11th - 15th.

PHCC Baseball Earns Saturday Split
NEWPORT NEWS, VA --- The Patrick Henry Community College Baseball team moved it’s record to 2-2 on the season after splitting two games in Newport News, VA on Saturday. The Patriots dropped the morning game to Newport News Apprentice by a score of 7-1. Josh Joseph took the hard luck loss for the Patriots working 5 1/3 innings allowing just one earned run on four hits. The Patriots struggled on defense committing five errors in the contest. Clyde Brooks and Josh Davidson each had two hits for the Patriots while Chris Martin and Bobby Eggleston had one each to round out the six hits for PHCC. Game One Box Score

 
In the afternoon contest it was PHCC scoring a 8-7 win over Division III Maritime College from New York. The Patriots pounded out 13 hits in the winning effort. Game highlights included Josh Davidson going 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs batted in along with Clyde Brooks going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Jonathan Morton (pictured left) also had a good day at the plate in game two going 2-for-5 with two runs batted in. The game saw multiple lead changes with the Patriots scoring three times in the top of the 8^th to take control of the game. Joey Howard picked up the win in relief working two scoreless innings allowing no hits. Maritime posted two runs off Josh Davidson in the bottom of the ninth but Davidson worked out of the jam to pick up his first save of the season. Kevin Coles and Jesse Forbes also saw mound action for the Patriots.
Game Two Box Score

 PHCC will return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Louisburg Junior College in North Carolina for a 2:30 PM match-up.

Baseball Opens Season with Split
The PHCC Baseball team opened the 2007 Spring Season with a doubleheader split with Maryville College in Tennessee on Monday. The Patriots took game one by an 8-2 margin and dropped game two of the twinbill 5-0.

Game one saw Josh Joseph (pictured left) work five strong innings on the mound, allowing just one hit and one unearned run while striking out six. Ryan Forbes and Jesse Forbes each worked an inning to close out the victory. Logan Snider and Josh Davidson paced the 11-hit attack with two hits each. Chad Robertson was 1-for-4 with two runs batted in and Chris Martin was 1-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI.

Game two saw three Maryville pitchers hold the Patriot offense down, allowing just a second inning single to Zac Gantt. Kevin Coles took the loss on the mound for PHCC working three innings allowing just two hits and one run while striking out three and walking three. Joe Vita, Joey Howard, and Bobby Eggleston all working in the relief for the Patriots.

PHCC Hires New Assistant
Friday, February 2, 2007
By ANDREW STEVENS - Martinsville Bulletin Sports Writer

In his quest to bring Patrick Henry Community College’s baseball program another state championship, new Head Coach Chris Parker is bolstering his coaching staff.

PHCC recently hired Northwestern College (Iowa) alumnus Paul Menscher to serve as an assistant coach and to work primarily with the pitching staff.

“I really wanted to get into college coaching,” Menscher said. “I’m looking forward to passing on my knowledge of the game and trying to make them better players and teaching them to respect the game and trying to contribute to a winning program.”

After spending four years at Northwestern as a first baseman and pitcher, Menscher will look to improve upon a pitching staff that went 23-15 last season and compiled a 4.58 ERA. The Patriots return just three pitchers from a year ago and will feature six righties and six left-handed hurlers.

“Paul’s doing real well,” Parker said. “He’s still young like myself and he’s getting the most out of the guys. His main duty other than working with the pitchers is he’s in charge of all our conditioning, and he does some defensive stuff for us with pick-offs and that kind of stuff.”

Menscher, an Omaha, Neb., native, hopes his experiences as a collegiate athlete will help him bring some fresh perspective in his newfound role with the Patriots.

“As many times as you can hear stuff, two coaches can word it in a different way,” Menscher said. “Pitching will be the main part where I’ll contribute to the program. I’ll help them out as much as I can with that. You can never have enough pitching, so the more we can develop that the better.”

Although Menscher and the Patriots won’t play their first game until Feb. 12, he’s already seen the desire to win and strong work ethic Parker has helped to maintain since being brought on board as head coach in mid-August.

“I think everyone wants to win a state championship here,” Menscher said. “Coach Parker said from Day 1, ‘Second place isn’t good enough.’ I think that will help the fact that everyone realizes it’s going to take hard work. Everyone has to be willing to put in. I’m looking forward to putting in that work and getting after it.”

At 23, Menscher feels that he will be able to use his youth to relate to a group of young and talented aspiring ballplayers in ways more seasoned coaches may not be able.

“I think it’s a lot easier to relate to someone who just got done playing in the last five or 10 years than maybe an older guy, even though older guys may have more experience,” Menscher said.