EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (6-31, 3-19 ODAC) concluded the 2019 season on Saturday with an Old Dominion Athletic Conference split against Bridgewater College (15-23, 9-13 ODAC). The Wasps took game one, 9-8, in 10 innings while the Eagles responded to salvage the split with a 13-8 win.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Emory & Henry 9, Bridgewater 8 (10 innings)
GAME TWO – Bridgewater 13, Emory & Henry 8
LOCATION – Bridgewater, Virginia
VENUE – Bridgewater College Baseball Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (6-31, 3-19 ODAC); Bridgewater (15-23, 9-13 ODAC)
Game One – Emory & Henry 9, Bridgewater 8 (10 innings)
The Wasps opened up a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a single to left field by senior centerfielder Lukas Hart (Abingdon, Va.). In the bottom of the third, BC put up a trio of runs, highlighted by a two-RBI single by Brett Jones, to take a 3-1 advantage.
After scoring once in the fourth, Emory & Henry pushed four runs across in the fifth to lead, 6-3. Sophomore first baseman Joe Tolone (Concord, N.C.) tripled with the bases loaded and was driven home two batters later. E&H continued to score as senior second baseman Andrew Francisco (Abingdon, Va.) hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make the score 7-3.
Bridgewater had another big inning in the sixth as Luke Paczewski tagged a three-run double to draw the score to 7-6. Single runs by the Wasps in the seventh and the Eagles in the eighth and ninth forced extra innings. Emory & Henry took advantage in the top of the 10th as senior Corbin Hockensmith (Huntersville, N.C.) singled up the middle to drive in senior right fielder Ben Sexton (Lebanon, Va.).
Wasp sophomore hurler Zach Houston (Waxhaw, N.C.) earned the win in relief, allowing just one run on three hits with two strikeouts. Bridgewater's Brett Tharp suffered the loss, permitting the winning run to cross in 1.1 innings of work.
Game Two – Bridgewater 13, Emory & Henry 8
After E&H got out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, Bridgewater unloaded for nine runs including home runs from Paczewski, Cameron Stanley and Phillip Herber for a 9-1 advantage. The Eagles pushed the margin to 13-2 midway through the fourth with a three-run inning as Jacob Grabeel laid down a two-run base hit.
Emory & Henry got its offense going in the fifth with senior catcher Kodi McIlwraith (Roanoke, Va.) clearing the bases with a double to right-center. The Wasps added two more runs in the top of the eighth as Francisco added his second sacrifice fly of the day and Sexton plated a run on a single through the right side.
Andrew Berry picked up the win for the Eagles, allowing us runs on four hits with five strikeouts despite eight walks in five innings pitched. E&H junior Toby Robson (Blythewood, S.C.) was settled with the loss, allowing six runs on four hits in just 1.2 innings of work.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will await the announcement of the 2019 All-ODAC Teams which will be released in conjunction with the ODAC Tournament Final Four on Friday, May 10.
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