DANVILLE, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (2-6) hammered out 11 hits en route to an 11-5 win over Averett University (8-5) Monday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field. It was only the second game in 23 days for the Wasps, whose schedule has been plagued with postponements due to the recent winter weather.
E&H got on the board with three runs in the top of the first. Senior first baseman Bransen Christopher (Hickory, N.C.) was hit by a pitch with two outs to start things off. A double by junior right fielder Brandon Lineberry (Hillsville, Va.) drove in Christopher and then freshman third baseman Carson Bryant (Hickory, N.C.) hit a two-run shot to left field to make it 3-0.
The Cougars got an unearned run in the first to close the gap to 3-1, but the Wasps added three in the fifth to go up 6-1. Christopher plated junior centerfielder Brett Johnson (Sugar Grove, Va.) and came home himself on the next at bat when Lineberry homered to left.
Both teams got single runs in the sixth and Emory & Henry added another in the seventh to go up 8-2. Three straight base hits by Averett in the bottom of the seventh provided a spark for the Cougars' two-run inning but E&H poured on three more runs in the eighth to make it 11-4. A final run by AU in the bottom of the eighth made the final score 11-5.
Lineberry was three-for-five with four RBI and three runs scored while Bryant had two hits, two RBI and a run. Christopher scored three times on one hit with two runs batted as well. Senior southpaw Aaron Sparks (Troutman, N.C.) picked up the win, allowing one earned run on six hits in six innings of work with four strikeouts. Junior Ty Hill (Knoxville, Tenn.) earned the save, pitching the final three frames of the contest.
Averett was paced offensively by Kyle Vidano's three-hit game while Nic Futrell was two-for-three with a run and a RBI. Cody Johnson took the loss, allowing six runs on nine hits in five innings pitched.
The Wasps will remain on the road on Tuesday when they travel to face the Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15