EMORY, Va. – The No. 9 Shenandoah University Baseball Team (18-4-1, 14-2 ODAC) picked up two Old Dominion Athletic Conference wins over Emory & Henry College (7-25, 3-15 ODAC) Saturday afternoon at Porterfield/DeVault Field. The Hornets won game one by a 14-4 score and took game two by a 24-10 margin.
The contests also served as Senior Day for the Wasps who honored shortstop Jordan Woullard (Oak Ridge, Tenn.), first baseman Bransen Christopher (Hickory, N.C.), designated hitter Kevin Nelson (Johnson City, Tenn.) and left-hander Aaron Sparks (Troutman, N.C.) prior to the start of game one
Game One – Shenandoah 14, Emory & Henry 4
The Hornets got two runs in both the first and second innings to go up 4-0. Nolan Overby hit a two-run home run in the second for SU. E&H got a run back in the bottom of the second when Nelson doubled to left field, driving in junior right fielder Brandon Lineberry (Hillsville, Va.).
Shenandoah scored five more runs over the course of the next four innings to go up 9-1. Ricky Pardo had a solo home run in the third while John Wilt notched a two-run shot in the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Wasps scored three runs to make it 9-4. Two runners scored on an error by the shortstop on Nelson's at bat while a groundout to the second baseman by freshman third baseman Carson Bryant (Hickory, N.C.) drove in the other run.
The Hornets scored twice more in the eighth and three times in the ninth for the final 14-4 margin. Pardo had a two-run double in the ninth, which capped the scoring.
Darrell Thompson picked up the win for Shenandoah, scattering five hits and four runs over eight innings of work with five strikeouts. Sparks took the loss for the Wasps.
Game Two – Shenandoah 24, Emory & Henry 10
The nightcap proved to be an outpouring of offense as 34 runs were scored on 37 hits between the two teams. Shenandoah took control of a 10-8 game in the top of the fourth with six runs and went on to score three in the sixth and four in the ninth for the win.
Emory & Henry freshman shortstop Holden Watkins had a two-run single in the second and added a two-run home run on hit next at bat, his first collegiate round-tripper. Sophomore left fielder Matthew Whisnant (Connelly Springs, N.C.) plated a pair with a two-run double in the second while Linberry and Christopher added solo home runs during the contest.
Shenandoah's Tyler Hott earned the win in relief, pitching two innings, allowing three runs on three hits. Wasp sophomore Garrett Butler (Knoxville, Tenn.) took the loss, allowing eight runs in two innings of work.
E&H will return to the diamond on Wednesday when it travels to Ferrum College for a 4:00 p.m., non-conference game with the Panthers.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15