EMORY, Va. – The King (Tenn.) University Baseball Team (10-14) picked up a non-conference win over rival Emory & Henry College (8-20) on Tuesday afternoon. The Tornado scored 12 runs in the third inning and five more in the eighth as they took the win by a 21-18 margin.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – King (Tenn.) 21, Emory & Henry 18
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (8-20, 2-7 SAC); King (Tenn.) (10-14, 2-12 Carolinas)
How It Happened
The Wasps were first on the scoreboard as junior third baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) singled, moved up on a sacrifice bunt from senior outfielder Tyler Bradley (Bessemer City, N.C.) and scored on an RBI single off the bat of junior outfielder Wayne Mize (Salisbury, N.C.) to give E&H the early 1-0 lead. The Tornado would answer in the bottom of the first with a run to tie the game at 1-1.
E&H exploded for six runs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) led off with a single, fifth-year shortstop Mason Lyda (Mills River, N.C.) drew a walk and Bailey scored on an RBI base knock by senior second baseman Noah Mazza (Plainfield, Ill.). Foley drove in another with an RBI single and Mize made it 4-1 with a run-scoring single of his own. Junior designated hitter Cole Cunningham (Wake Forest, N.C.) kept the hit party going with an RBI double down the third baseline and fifth-year first baseman Matthew Long (Willow Spring, N.C.) rounded out the inning with a two-RBI double to run the score to 7-1.
The Tornado bats woke up in the top of the third inning. The visitors from Bristol scored 12 runs in the frame as they sent 15 batters to the plate. Preston Steele recorded two of the four King home runs in the inning, as he drove in four runs during the visiting half of the third to give the Tornado a 13-7 lead. E&H got two back in the bottom of the third on an RBI triple from Foley and a King error, and then two more in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double from senior outfielder Jermie Greene, Jr. (Troutman, N.C.) and an RBI groundout from Lyda to trim the deficit to 13-11.
King struck for two in the top of the fifth inning on an error and an RBI single by Jake Lathrop to push their margin back out to 15-11. The Wasps posted seven runs in the home half of the fifth to retake the lead. Bradley and Mize were hit by pitches to lead off the frame and Bradley scored on an RBI single from Cunningham. Long was plunked by another pitch to load the bases and Bailey and Lyda drew a pair of walks to force home two runs. Mazza delivered once more with a two-RBI double into right-centerfield gap, Foley recorded an RBI groundout and Bradley drove in another on an RBI double to give the Wasps the 18-15 lead.
The Tornado would not go away quietly, as they added one in the top of the sixth and jumped back in front with a five-run eighth inning. A pair of two-RBI doubles from Junior Renwick and Cayden Goodwin highlighted the inning as King took the 21-18 lead and held on for the win.
Rohde Kirkland earned the winning decision for the visitors as he went 4.1 scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and walking one batter while striking out four. Lyda took the loss on the mound for the Wasps as he allowed five runs on five hits and a pair of walks in just one inning of work. Mazza led the offensive attack for Emory & Henry as he went 5-5 at the plate while recording three RBI. Foley also had a three-RBI day while Mize, Long, Cunningham and Lyda each had a pair of runs driven in.
Up Next
Emory & Henry returns to South Atlantic Conference action this weekend when they play host to the Cobras of Coker University for a three-game set. First pitch of Friday's game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Porterfield-DeVault Field.
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