GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (8-16, 2-7 SAC) took down Tusculum University (17-7, 7-2 SAC) in midweek action on Wednesday afternoon. The Wasps scored five runs in the first inning and five more in the third, as they snapped a five-game losing streak with the 12-3 victory. Although both teams are members of the South Atlantic Conference, Wednesday's game was played as a non-conference contest as the Wasps and Pioneers are not scheduled to meet this season.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 12, Tusculum 3
LOCATION – Greeneville, Tennessee
VENUE – Pioneer Park
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (8-16, 2-7 SAC); Tusculum (17-7, 7-2 SAC)
How It Happened
The Wasps struck first as they posted five runs in the opening frame. Junior third baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) led off with a single and came around to score on an RBI double from senior outfielder Tyler Bradley (Bessemer City, N.C.). Junior outfielder Wayne Mize (Salisbury, N.C.) made it 2-0 with an RBI single of his own to drive in Bradley. Junior designated hitter Cole Cunningham (Wake Forest, N.C.) and fifth-year first baseman Matthew Long (Willow Spring, N.C.) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and senior outfielder Jermie Greene, Jr. (Troutman, N.C.) forced home a run with an RBI hit-by-pitch. Fifth-year shortstop Mason Lyda (Mills River, N.C.) added a fourth run with an RBI fielder's choice and senior second baseman Noah Mazza (Plainfield, Ill.) rounded out the scoring with an RBI sacrifice fly to push the E&H advantage to 5-0. The Pioneers would respond with one run in the bottom of the second to trim the deficit to 5-1.
Greene, Jr. led off the third with another hit-by-pitch and scampered home on an RBI double from senior catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) to make it 6-1. The Wasps then loaded the bases on a fielder's choice and a walk before Mize singled through the left side to plate two more runs and expand the lead to seven. Cunningham followed that up with an RBI double of his own and Mize scored on a wild pitch to run the E&H advantage to 10-1.
The Wasps tacked on two more in the sixth after Long and Greene, Jr. strung together back-to-back one-out singles, Bailey drove in Long with an RBI single and Greene, Jr. scored on an error to make it 12-1. Tusculum answered in the home half of the inning with an RBI double from Christian Ortega and an RBI single from Will Samuelson to cut the Wasps' lead to its final score at 12-3.
Fifth-year righty pitcher Michael Owen (Charlotte, N.C.) put in a great performance on the mound to earn the win as he went 5.1 innings, scattering three runs on six hits while striking out two Pioneers. Sophomore Zack McRae (Greensboro, N.C.) and senior Nick Cerrato (Oswego, Ill.) combined for 3.1 scoreless innings in relief out of the bullpen to clinch the win.
Up Next
Emory & Henry visits the University of West Georgia for a three-game non-conference series this weekend. First pitch of Saturday's game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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