EMORY, Va. - The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (13-21) used an eight-run sixth inning rally to defeat Virginia Intermont College (13-27) by a 14-13 score Tuesday afternoon at Porterfield/DeVault Field. The Wasps pounded out 20 hits in the game to defeat the visiting Cobras.
Virginia Intermont got out to a 3-0 lead after the second inning. A two-run home run by Brandon Palmer started off the scoring which included a RBI single through the left side by Adrian Rivera.
The Cobras added four runs in the third highlighted by a two-RBI double down the left field line by Justin Crabtree to make the score 7-0.
E&H put its first run on the board in the bottom of the third frame. With two runners on and no outs, senior left fielder Brandon Lucas (Riner, Va.) drove in senior third baseman Will Schulhof (Berryville, Va.) with a fielder's choice. The Wasps made the score 7-2 in the fifth on a single to right field by sophomore shortstop Ricky Sowers (Blacksburg, Va.) that plated junior designated hitter Sam Line (Inman, S.C.).
In the top of the sixth, VI extended its lead to 9-2 thanks in part to a RBI goundout by Greg Cassady.
The Wasps' offense got going in the bottom of the sixth, scoring eight runs on seven hits and two errors to take a 10-9 lead. A single through the right side by senior first baseman Logan Ball (Honaker, Va.) got the scoring started for E&H, as Line doubled down the right field line to highlight the frame. Both senior second baseman Josh McMillian (Amelia, Va.) and senior catcher Collin Metz (Cape Coral, Fla.) had sacrifice flies in the inning.
In the top of the seventh, the Cobras answered with three runs to go up 12-10 and added a final run in the eighth. VI scored in the eighth via a solo home run by Ed Clark.
Emory & Henry got four runs in the bottom of the eighth to go up 14-13. A two-run triple by Ball helped the Wasps retake the lead. Sowers came in to pitch in the top of the ninth and got a one-two-three inning to earn his third save of the season.
Freshman Colby Gardner (Kingsport, Tenn.) picked up the win in relief for Emory & Henry, pitching two innings to move to 4-0 on the year. He allowed one run on four hits with a strikeout. Preston Asbill took the loss for Virginia Intermont, allowing eight runs on seven hits with two strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings of work.
At the plate, Line went four-for-four with two runs scored and a RBI. Metz equaled Line's day offensively, tallying four hits, two runs and a run driven in. Both Sowers and Ball had three hits while ball drove in a team-high three runs.
For Virginia Intermont, Rivera went four-for-six with two RBI while five other Cobras had two hits in the contest.
Emory & Henry is next scheduled to travel to Pulaski, Va. on Wednesday night to face Ferrum College at 7:00 p.m. The contest will take place at Calfee Park, home of the Appalachian League's Pulaski Mariners.
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