EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (1-14, 0-7 SAC) made a furious comeback attempt, but came up just short to the University of Virginia's College at Wise (15-3, 5-2 SAC) in game one of a South Atlantic Conference weekend series Friday afternoon. The Cavaliers took an early 6-0 lead, but had to hold on to eke out the 9-8 victory after a big rally from the Wasps.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – UVA Wise 9, Emory & Henry 8
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Stadium
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-14, 0-7 SAC); UVA Wise (15-3, 5-2 SAC)
How It Happened
Both teams were kept off of the scoreboard over the opening two innings of play, but the Cavaliers struck first in the top of the third. Wise tallied a pair of runs in the third on the back of two hits and an error, before tacking on one in the fourth and three more in the top of the fifth to push their lead out to 6-0. The E&H bats finally woke up in the home half of the sixth. Senior third baseman Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.) started a two-out rally as he laced a double into the gap in right-center, then came around to score on an RBI single off the bat of senior first baseman Jacob Bebber (Taylorsville, N.C.). Fifth-year designated hitter Caeden Howell (Roaring River, N.C.) followed with a two-run bomb over the wall in left-center, his second of the year, to pull the Wasps within three at 6-3.
The Cavaliers responded in the top of the seventh as they scored three times on four hits to balloon the margin back out to 9-3. Emory & Henry would not go down without a fight however, as they got back in the run column in the home half of the seventh. Junior outfielder Clay Caldwell (Salem, Va.) reached on a fielder's choice then rounded the bases to touch home when fifth-year outfielder Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) laced a triple into the right-center gap to make it 9-4.
Smith led off the bottom of the eighth in style as he smashed a solo shot, his third of the season, to run the score to 9-5. Bebber doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Howell reached on a walk and swiped second base. Fifth-year catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) plated Bebber with an RBI groundout to reduce the deficit to 9-6. The Wasps were not done as fifth-year outfielder Matt Hill (Pineville, N.C.) was hit by a pitch then stole second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Caldwell drew a walk and the Wise catcher threw the ball away down the third base line trying to pick off Howell, allowing him to come in to score and make it a 9-7 ballgame. Foley drilled an RBI double down the line in right to score Hill and E&H trailed by just one run at 9-8. The Wasps bullpen held UVA Wise scoreless in the top of the ninth to set the stage for the bottom of the inning. Bebber singled and sophomore second baseman Jack Ferguson (Abingdon, Va.) drew a walk to put the tying run in scoring position, but the E&H rally came up just short as the visitors from Wise were able to record the final out and earn the 9-8 win.
Spencer Howell picked up the win on the mound for Wise as he allowed three runs on five hits while striking out four batters over six innings of work. Ryan Whiston earned his second save of the season after recording the final four outs of the game without allowing a run. Junior pitcher Jacob Nester (Hillsville, Va.) was saddled with the loss as he scattered five runs, three earned, on five hits with a pair of strikeouts in four innings on the hill. Freshman reliever Hunter Word (Kenbridge, Va.) turned in a great performance out of the bullpen for the Wasps as he went 2.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one base hit. Smith and Bebber finished with three hits and one RBI each to pace the E&H offensive attack. Howell and Foley added a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs while Bailey drove in the other run for Emory & Henry.
Up Next
Emory & Henry wraps up the series against the Cavaliers on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon from Porterfield-DeVault Field.
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