FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (1-8) earned its first win of the 2016 season in convincing fashion, 11-4, over No. 17 Methodist University (2-1) Sunday afternoon at Armstrong-Shelley Field. The Wasps hammered out 15 hits in the game for their largest offensive output of the year. The Monarchs are ranked in the Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division III preseason poll.
E&H got on the board in the top of the first on a solo home run by senior right fielder Brandon Lineberry (Hillsville, Va.). After Methodist tied things up in the bottom half of the inning, Emory & Henry went back up, 2-1, in the third on a sacrifice fly by freshman second baseman Daulton Horne (Bristol, Va.).
The Monarchs tied the game again at 2-2, but the Wasps exploded for four runs in the fourth. A single by Lineberry brought in two runs to highlight the frame. Methodist got two back in the bottom of the fourth, making the score 6-4.
In the sixth, Emory & Henry added four more runs to push the advantage to 10-4. Sophomore Holden Watkins (Ridgeway, Va.) pinch hit with the bases loaded, clearing the sacks with a double down the right field line. Freshman third baseman Eli Straw (Radford, Va.) switched places with Watkins with a double to left field.
The Wasps capped the scoring in the seventh as Lineberry got his third base hit of the day, this time a single to left field to make the final margin 11-4.
Lineberry went four-for-six with a run and two RBI on the day while freshman left fielder Ben Sexton (Lebanon, Va.) had three hits and two runs. Three other players for E&H had two hits on the day including Straw. Freshman Gavin Felty (Bristol, Va.) picked up the win, scattering four runs and five hits over six innings of work with three strikeouts. Freshman Zach Shepherd (Christiansburg, Va.) earned the three-inning save with a trio of strikeouts as well.
Pete Wildeboer had a hit, a walk and two runs for Methodist while David Cass scored a run on his base knock. Five different pitchers saw action for the Monarchs with Ross Leggett suffering the loss with six runs and six hits in 3.2 innings pitched.
Emory & Henry will next take the field on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., when it travels to face Maryville (Tenn.) College in a non-conference game.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15