EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (7-11, 2-4 ODAC) got three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning as it rallied to defeat Roanoke College (8-12, 2-4 ODAC) Tuesday afternoon at Porterfield/DeVault Field, stopping a five-game skid. The Wasps avenged a 7-2 loss to the Maroons last week on the road to split the season series.
Roanoke got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second as Cam Cassady hit a two-out single to centerfield, plating Jacob Clifton and Boonewell Hagy, who led off the inning with a pair of walks.
Emory & Henry responded in the bottom of the frame with seven runs. Senior centerfielder Eric Houff (Blacksburg, Va.) hit a two RBI single through the left side to start things off and senior second baseman Sam Line (Inman, S.C.) drove in a pair with a double to centerfield in the next at bat.
Junior shortstop Jordan Woullard (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) then homered to left field for his first round-tripper as a Wasp for two more runs and junior catcher Connor Wise (Cookeville, Tenn.) made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot to left to make the score 7-2
The Maroons got a pair of runs back in the top of the third to close the gap to 7-4 as Mark Manthe homered to left field with one out and one runner on.
Four scoreless innings later, Roanoke found their offense, scoring five runs in the top of the eighth. The inning was highlighted by Manthe's three-run home run to left centerfield, his second of the day as the Maroons went up 9-7.
E&H got things going in the bottom of the eighth as they used three base hits and a trio of walks to score three runs and retake the lead 10-9. A sacrifice fly by Woullard at the warning track was the difference-maker, scoring junior right fielder Brogan Hoover (Stephens City, Va.) from third base.
Roanoke was able to get a runner to third with one out but the Emory & Henry defense and senior closer Will Dingus (Powhatan, Va.) held strong for the save.
Houff led the way for the Wasps at the plate, going three-for-five with three RBI and a run scored. Woullard was two-for-four with three runs driven in and a home run.
Senior right-hander Jessup Lambert (Fries, Va.) pitched six strong innings for E&H, scattering four runs and seven hits across the span and striking out six in the no decision. Freshman Austin Collins (Knoxville, Tenn.) moved to 1-0 in relief while Dingus picked up his first save of the season.
The Maroons were led at the plate by Manthe's two-for-five showing as he hit two home runs and drove in five. Cassady was three-for-four with two RBI while Bradley Mattox and Reece Kingery each had a pair of hits. Zach Hamilton took the loss for Roanoke in relief as he gave up E&H's three runs in the eighth.
Emory & Henry will return to action tomorrow afternoon as it hosts Bluefield College in non-conference action at Porterfield/DeVault Field. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
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