LEXINGTON, Va. – The Washington and Lee University Baseball Team (17-10, 10-8 ODAC) picked up a pair of wins over Emory & Henry College 9-25, 5-13 ODAC) Thursday afternoon in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action. The Generals took game one by a 5-3 score and won the nightcap, 13-4, as the Wasps completed three games and 30 innings of baseball in less than 24 hours.
Game One – Washington and Lee 5, Emory & Henry 3
After three and a half scoreless inning, the Generals got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out and runners on second and third, Ryan Weston singled through the left side to put W&L up 2-0.
Emory & Henry closed the gap to 2-1 in the top of the sixth frame. Freshman centerfielder Matthew Whisnant (Connelly Springs, N.C.) stood on second base after a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt by junior shortstop Jordan Woullard (Oak Ridge, Tenn.). Junior first baseman Bransen Christopher (Hickory, N.C.) then singled down the left field line to put the Wasps on the board.
W&L responded in the bottom of the sixth with three runs. A two-run double by Drew Weprinski highlighted the frame as the Generals took a 5-1 lead with three innings remaining.
The seventh and eight stanzas were scoreless, and down to their final three outs, Emory & Henry began to mount a comeback. With the bases loaded and no outs thanks to a pair of hit batsmen and a single through the right side by junior designated hitter Aaron Sparks (Troutman, N.C.), the Wasps pushed a run across on a ground ball.
The grounder resulted in a double play, however leaving E&H with just one out and a three-run deficit. Senior left fielder Zack Hill (Fries, Va.) doubled down the right field line driving in a run to make the final margin 5-3.
W&L was led offensively by Weprinski's three-hit game with two RBI. Andrew Head and Keegan Dolan each had two hits while Weston drove in a pair. Jake Rudolph picked up the win, scattering five hits for three runs across eight innings of work. Cory Smith earned his fifth save of the year.
Emory & Henry managed only six hits in the game led by Christopher and Hill with RBI base knocks. Sophomore Chase Kirk (Knoxville, Tenn.) allowed five runs on 10 hits and three walks, but suffered the loss.
Game Two – Washington and Lee 13, Emory & Henry 4
Washington and Lee scored in six of their eight chances of the doubleheader's second game, putting up 13 runs on 12 hits to earn the sweep of E&H.
W&L got its first run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second and the Wasps evened the game up when Christopher dove in senior third baseman Caleb Rotton (Boiling Springs, S.C.), who reached on a two-out double to left centerfield.
The Generals broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the third. Kyle Witty, Taylor Rowe and Weston each had RBI base hits in the frame. Washington and Lee continued its scoring streak with single runs in the fourth and sixth while adding four runs in the bottom of the fifth, three of which came when Weprinski cleared the bases with a bases-loaded double.
Emory & Henry got a trio of runs in the seventh. Woullard and Christopher each had RBI base hits while senior catcher Connor Wise (Cookeville, Tenn.) drew a bases-loaded walk for the third run to make the score 11-4.
W&L added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh when Josh Josephson singled up the middle to drive in runners from second and third for the final 13-4 score.
All nine of the General's players had a base hit in game two with Weprinski driving in three with two runs scored. Luke Myer, Josephson and Weston both had two-hit games. Kyle Tipping picked up the win allowing four runs on 12 hits with three strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.
Christopher was one of four Wasps that had two base knocks as Whisnant and freshman second baseman Hunter Jeffries (Hickory, N.C.) added a run scored. Freshman Caelan Canady (Browns Summit, N.C.) took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits with four walks in four innings of work.
Emory & Henry will conclude the 2014 season on Saturday at noon when it hosts Hampden-Sydney College in an ODAC doubleheader. The contests will also serve as Senior Day for the Wasps, who will honor their five seniors completing their collegiate baseball careers in the blue and gold.
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