While the rain fell at its leisure all weekend in Shepherdstown, the Shepherd baseball team won two of three games it had in Ettrick, Virginia, against Virginia State.

In a nine-inning, single game played last Friday, Shepherd exploded for six runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Trojans, 8-4, on a 57-degree, overcast day.

Shepherd had 13 hits and used Justin Smith’s two-run homer, Christian Hamel’s two-RBI double and Reid Entsminger’s run-scoring single to score six times in the eighth. Smith’s RBI double plated Nick Atkinson for Shepherd’s last run. Smith was 3-for-5.

Ryan Potts went 7.2 innings for the win. He allowed nine hits and only one walk while fanning 10 and surrendering only two earned runs. Adam Miller pitched the last 1.1 innings and wasn’t scored on. He didn’t yield any hits and walked one.

On Saturday, the Rams grabbed an early lead but were challenged in a 10-6 win in the first of two games against the Trojans.

A four-run second inning was provided by RBIs from Chase Hoffman, Dalton Haymaker, Riley Lazich and Eddie Nottingham. The Rams’ lead went to 7-0 when Hoffman had two RBIs and Nick Atkinson drove in a run in the fourth inning of the seven-inning game.

Virginia State staged a long rally that netted six runs in the fourth inning.

Brenton Doyle’s two-run homer moved Shepherd’s once-formidable lead back to 9-6. Another Doyle home run brought Shepherd’s lead to 10-6 and completed the game’s scoring. He finished a 4-for-5 game.

Wes Martin relieved starting pitcher Justin Smith and got credit for the win by going three innings, not allowing a run while walking only one and fanning one.

In the seven-inning nightcap, the Trojans chased Ram starter Colin Benner (three innings, seven hits, five earned runs, one walk and one strikeout) in getting an 8-3 win in finale of the three-game series.

Shepherd was limited to only five hits, one of which was Smith’s two-run homer. Shepherd reliever Mitchell Johnson went three innings and didn’t allow a run. Johnson struck out three and permitted only one walk. He yielded only one hit.

Shepherd is currently 3-6 overall and has won three of its last four games.

Smith, a transfer from Hagerstown Community College, is batting .500 after starting all nine games.

The Rams will be at home at Fairfax Field for the first time this season on March 10 for a doubleheader versus Queens College of New York. On March 11, the Rams entertain Queens again in a single game. Both dates have 1 p.m. starts in the scheduled three-game series.