EMORY, Va. - The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (12-21, 9-7 ODAC) played two games that couldn't be more different Saturday afternoon at Porterfield/DeVault Field. The Wasps fell in game one to the No. 26 Hornets of Lynchburg College (28-7, 13-3 ODAC), 25-4, but responded with a 10-8 win in game two to split the season series. With the win, E&H is in strong position to earn a spot in the 2012 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament.
Game One - No. 26 Lynchburg 25, Emory & Henry 4
Lynchburg exploded with nine runs in the top of the first and never looked back. The Hornets scored in seven innings en route to the victory.
The bright spot for Emory & Henry was in the bottom of the sixth as it scored three runs on four hits.
Robert Garrett got the win for the Hornets, scattering four runs and seven hits over six innings of work and striking out six. Emory & Henry senior Zach Jones (Fries, Va.) suffered the loss.
At the plate for Lynchburg, Michael Palase was four-for-seven with four RBI, three runs and two home runs. Michael Kenah was three-for-six with a home run and three RBI while Brock Shiflett went three-for-three with tree RBI.
Junior centerfielder Eric Houff (Blacksburg, Va.) went two-for-four with two runs and three stolen bases while senior second baseman Josh McMillian (Amelia, Va.) was two-for-five in the contest.
Game Two - Emory & Henry 10, No. 26 Lynchburg 8
Emory & Henry got on the board with two runs in the first and extended its lead to 7-0 after two innings of play. Houff singled up the middle to plate two runs in the second for the Wasps.
E&H added runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh frames including a solo home run by senior first baseman Logan Ball (Honaker, Va.) to lead off the sixth.
Lynchburg got two runs in the third and three in the fifth to close the gap to 8-5, but the E&H defense was able to hold and got timely run support down the stretch.
Junior Jessup Lambert (Fries, Va.) earned the win, scattering five runs and five hits over five innings of work with three walks and two strikeouts while sophomore Ricky Sowers (Blacksburg, Va.) came to the mound from his shortstop position to pitch the final five outs and earn the save, striking out two.
Senior right fielder Remington Hedgepeth (Winston-Salem, N.C.) was three-for-five as well with two runs and two RBI. Houff went two-for-four with three runs and two RBI while Ball, Sowers and senior third baseman Will Schulhof (Berryville, Ga.) each had three hits.
Emory & Henry will remain at home on Tuesday afternoon when it takes on Virginia Intermont College. First pitch for the non-conference contest is set for 3:00 p.m.
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