WINCHESTER, Va. — Potomac State used clutch hitting and a composed finish from the back end of the bullpen to secure a 5–3 victory in game one of the doubleheaders at Shenandoah. PSC dropped the nightcap 10-0.
In the opener, from the opening frame, the Catamounts dictated tempo. In the first inning, with the bases loaded, Ryan Conrad worked a walk to force in the game's first run, and moments later Tate Musko followed suit, drawing another free pass that plated a second run to make the score 2-0.
The pressure continued in the second. Lex Wescott—who would be a constant presence all afternoon—set the table again, and John Mallow delivered with a sharp RBI single to extend the lead to 3–0.
Shenandoah answered in the third, capitalizing on a defensive miscue to push across an unearned run, trimming the deficit to 3–1.
The Hornets chipped away again in the sixth, manufacturing a run on a sacrifice fly to make it 3–2.
That tension broke in the seventh—decisively, and in Potomac State's favor.
With runners aboard, Callen Miller delivered the swing of the game, driving a two-run double into the gap. Both Mallow and Wescott crossed the plate, giving the Catamounts had breathing room again at 5–2.
Shenandoah refused to disappear quietly, scratching across a run in the bottom half of the seventh to make it 5–3, but that was as close as they would come.
From there, the story belonged to Caden Johnson.
Called upon to secure the final nine outs, Johnson navigated traffic, endured pressure, and ultimately ended the game. The right-hander worked three innings, allowing two runs while stranding multiple Shenandoah threats.
Earlier, Gavin Bennett set the tone with four strong innings, allowing just one run—unearned—and striking out five to earn the win. Together, the duo formed a blueprint: establish early control, withstand the middle innings, and trust the bullpen to finish.
Offensively, Potomac State tallied eight hits, with Mallow reaching base four times and driving in a run, while Miller's two-RBI double proved decisive. Wescott scored three times, serving as the engine atop the lineup.
Game two would not follow the same script—a 10–0 Shenandoah victory.