DANVILLE, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (4-5) picked up split Sunday afternoon with Averett University (10-3). The Wasps earned a 2-0 shutout in game one, but fell 7-0 to the Cougars in the nightcap to split the series. The victory was the first shutout for an Emory & Henry team since April 17, 2002 when the Wasps defeated Roanoke, 24-0.
Game One – Emory & Henry 2, Averett 0
E&H got out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. A pair of one-out singles to right field by senior second baseman Sam Line (Inman, S.C.) and senior centerfielder Eric Houff (Blacksburg, Va.) put runners on first and second. Junior catcher Connor Wise (Cookeville, Tenn.) drew a walk to load the bases and then sophomore third baseman Bransen Christopher (Hickory, N.C.) singled to left field to score Line.
The Wasps got their other run in the fifth. Christopher hit a one-out double to start things off and was driven home when freshman left fielder Andrew Stockstill (Roanoke, Va.) reached on an error by the second baseman.
Emory & Henry ended up stranding 14 runners in the contest but it wouldn't matter. Senior Jessup Lambert (Fries, Va.) scattered five hits over seven innings and struck out nine to earn the complete-game shutout, moving to 2-1 on the year. Christopher led the Wasps at the plate, going three-for-four while Stockstill and junior right fielder Brogan Hoover (Stephens City, Va.) each had a pair of hits.
Averett's Ben Florence fell to 2-1 on the season as he allowed two runs on nine hits and three walks despite striking out four in five innings.
Game Two – Averett 7, Emory & Henry 0
The Cougars opened up with four runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a pair of home runs. Taylor Davis got things started with a three-run shot while Zach Boraski hit a solo homer later in the frame for a 4-0 lead.
Averett made the lead 5-0 after a sacrifice fly by Jason Carter scored Davis in the third.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Cougars added two more insurance runs as Jimbo Newcomb singled through the left side, plating Jeffrey Younkins and Chatham Curry.
Davis finished the game two-for-three with three RBI and two runs scored while Boraski and Younkins each had two hits as well. Christopher went two-for-three for E&H in the second game.
Andrew Kirks picked up the win for Averett, scattering three hits, five strikeouts and two walks over five innings of work. Emory & Henry senior Will Dingus (Powhatan, Va.) fell to 3-0 after allowing five runs on seven hits across the first three innings of the game.
E&H will open the home portion of its schedule on Wednesday when the Wasps welcome the Scots of Maryville (Tenn.) College to Porterfield/DeVault Field at 2:00 p.m.
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