EMORY, Va. – The Limestone University Baseball Team (16-25, 8-12 SAC) topped Emory & Henry College (11-30, 3-15 SAC) in the opening game of a South Atlantic Conference weekend series on Friday afternoon. The two squads combined for 33 hits as the Saints took the victory by a 14-11 final score.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Limestone 14, Emory & Henry 11
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (11-30, 3-15 SAC); Limestone (16-25, 8-12 SAC)
How It Happened
Both teams were held scoreless through one inning but the Saints got on the scoreboard in the top of the second. Adams Faucett laced an RBI single up the middle of the diamond to make it 1-0 Limestone. The Saints added two more in the third on a run-scoring double play and an RBI single from Gavin Troyer. LU tacked on another four in the top of the fourth inning on a pair of two-run home runs from Noah Love and Dylan Shugan to run their advantage to 7-0.
The Wasps cut into the deficit in the home half of the fourth. Junior designated hitter Cole Cunningham (Wake Forest, N.C.) launched a solo shot over the fence in left-center and senior outfielder Jermie Greene, Jr. (Troutman, N.C.) followed suit two batters later with his fourth bomb of the season to make it 7-2. The Wasps added another run in the bottom of the fifth when senior second baseman Noah Mazza (Plainfield, Ill.) drilled a one-out triple down the line in right and scored on an RBI single from junior third baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) to make it 7-3. The Saints struck back in the top of the sixth with three runs to push their advantage back out to 10-3.
Cunningham drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the sixth, fifth-year first baseman Matthew Long (Willow Spring, N.C.) singled and Greene, Jr. left the yard for the second time of the afternoon to draw the Wasps back within four at 10-6. Limestone responded once more as they scored four runs on four hits in the top of the eighth to push their lead back out to 14-6. The Wasps rallied in the bottom of the ninth on a Tyler Bradley (Bessemer City, N.C.) sacrifice fly and a two-run home run from junior outfielder Wayne Mize (Salisbury, N.C.), his team-leading tenth of the season, to cut the deficit to 14-9. Cunningham followed with a single and Long launched a pitch over the fence to make it 14-11. The rally would come up just short as Limestone held on for the win.
James Deloatch earned the win on the mound for the Saints as he went five innings, scattering six hits and three walks while striking out seven batters. Junior righty Zach Clover (Cary, N.C.) was the unlucky loser after allowing just one run on five hits while striking out a pair over two innings of work. Greene, Jr. led the offense with two home runs and four RBI on the afternoon.
Up Next
Emory & Henry wraps up the weekend series on Saturday with a doubleheader and will also honor the 2023 senior class with Senior Day festivities. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.
---E&H---