MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (1-5) picked up its first win of the 2015 season as it split a doubleheader with Berry College (5-1) Saturday afternoon at William Bowdoin Field. The Vikings prevailed by a 7-6 score in eight innings in game one while the Wasps took game two by a 6-4 score.
Game One – Berry 7, Emory & Henry 6 (eight innings)
Emory & Henry got out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second thanks to four walks by the Berry pitching staff and a two-run double down the left field line by senior shortstop Jordan Woullard (Oak Ridge, Tenn.).
The Vikings got a run back in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-1 but the Wasps added two more in the fifth to go up 6-1. Junior outfielder Ben Barnett (Knoxville, Tenn.) singled up the middle with one out and the bases loaded to plate a pair.
Berry answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap to 6-5. Ryan Smith highlighted the frame with a two-out two-run single to right field. The Vikings tied things up at six with an unearned run in the sixth inning.
After a scoreless seventh, the contest went into extra innings. Dusty Tyson got things started with a one-out triple and three batters later, Ben Jernigan singled to right centerfield to give the Vikings the 7-6 win.
Braxton Teal picked up the win in relief for Berry, allowing just one hit in two innings of relief with two strikeouts. E&H junior Matthew McInaw (Honey Brook, Pa.) took the loss, allowing one run on two hits and two walks in 1.2 innings of work.
Game Two - Emory & Henry 6, Berry 4
Emory & Henry started off strong, putting three runs on the board in the top of the first. Woullard and senior first baseman Bransen Christopher (Hickory, N.C.) had back-to-back RBI base hits in the frame while fielder's choice by junior right fielder Brandon Lineberry (Hillsville, Va.) plated the third run.
Berry got single runs in the first and second to make the score 3-2. Jernigan drove in a run with an infield single while Tyson found a hole in the left side of the E&H defense for the other score.
Emory & Henry answered with one run in both the third and fourth innings. Sophomore designated hitter Caelan Canady (Browns Summit, N.C.) scored Christopher from third base with a single up the middle in the third while a groundout by junior centerfielder Brett Johnson (Sugar Grove, Va.) was good enough to drive in sophomore left fielder Matthew Whisnant (Hickory, N.C.), who led off the inning with a triple down the right field line.
The Vikings closed the gap to one (5-4) for a second time in the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth but a RBI single by Whisnant in the seventh gave the Wasps some insurance as they claimed their first win of the year, 6-4.
E&H sophomore Garrett Butler (Knoxville, Tenn.) earned the win, scattering two runs on seven hits across four innings of work while junior Chase Kirk (Knoxville, Tenn.) picked up the save facing the final two batters of the game in perfect form. T.J. Montgomery suffered the loss for Berry, as he was chased from the game after only one inning pitched and three runs allowed.
Woullard led the way offensively for the Wasps, going six-for-eight on the day with two doubles, a triple, three RBI and a run scored. Christopher went three-for-four in game two with two runs and a RBI while Whisnant was five-for-eight on the day and three runs scored.
Emory & Henry will travel to face Greensboro College on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
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