HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (4-17, 2-10 SAC) mounted a late rally in game two to split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with Lincoln Memorial University (12-10, 6-6 SAC) Saturday afternoon. The Railsplitters took game one in eight innings by a 15-3 run-rule victory before the Wasps utilized a 10-run sixth inning to take the nightcap 14-11.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Lincoln Memorial 15, Emory & Henry 3 (Eight Innings)
GAME TWO – Emory & Henry 14, Lincoln Memorial 11 (Seven Innings)
LOCATION – Harrogate, Tennessee
VENUE – Lamar Hennon Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (4-17, 2-10 SAC); Lincoln Memorial (12-10, 6-6 SAC)
Game One - Lincoln Memorial 15, Emory & Henry 3 (Eight Innings)
The Railsplitters wasted no time opening the scoring as they drilled a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning and a three-run shot in the bottom of the second to take an early 4-0 lead. The Wasps got on the board in the top of the third. Fifth-year catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) singled, stole second and moved up to third on a groundout. Fifth-year outfielder Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) delivered an RBI double to plate Bailey and make it 4-1. E&H added another run in the top of the fourth when senior third baseman Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.) led off with a double and came around to touch home on an RBI single from sophomore second baseman Jack Ferguson (Abingdon, Va.) and the score stood at 4-2.
Lincoln Memorial would get a run back in the bottom of the fourth, but Emory & Henry had a response in the top of the fifth. Foley and Hensley rapped back-to-back two-out singles and Smith drove in Foley with an RBI single to draw back within two at 5-3. LMU added one run in the sixth, four in the seventh and five more in the eighth to earn the 15-3 run-rule victory.
Jack Santi picked up the win on the mound for the Railsplitters after allowing two runs and four hits over four innings while striking out five batters. Freshman pitcher Cole Gillis (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss for Emory & Henry as he surrendered five runs on six hits in five innings of work while fanning a pair of LMU batters. Smith paced the Wasps with three hits while Foley, Hensley and Bailey all tallied a pair of base knocks.
Game Two - Emory & Henry 14, Lincoln Memorial 11 (Seven Innings)
After a scoreless first inning, the Railsplitters struck for five runs on six hits to jump ahead 5-0 after two innings of play. LMU was not done as they pushed across two more runs in the home half of the third inning to increase their lead out to 7-0. Senior first baseman Jacob Bebber (Taylorsville, N.C.) got the Wasps on the board in the top of the fourth when he bashed a solo home run, his fourth of the season, to make it 7-1.
Lincoln Memorial added another run in the bottom of the fourth, but E&H got one back in the top of the fifth. Foley laced a two-out single through the left side of the infield, then scored on fifth-year outfielder Triston Hensley's (Covington, Va.) RBI double. Smith followed with an RBI single to plate Hensley and the score stood at 8-3. The Wasps were not done as Bebber singled and fifth-year catcher Caeden Howell (Roaring River, N.C.) plated Smith with an RBI single to reduce the deficit to 8-4.
The Railsplitters scored once in the bottom of the fifth, but E&H roared back in the top of the sixth inning. Senior outfielder Khadeem Lewis (Chesterfield, Va.) led things off with a single, then fifth-year outfielder Matt Hill (Pineville, N.C.) and freshman shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) both reached on LMU errors to load the bases. Foley delivered a sacrifice fly that plated Lewis. Hensley drew a walk, then Smith smashed a three-RBI double to clear the bases and pull E&H within just one run at 9-8. Bebber drew a walk and junior designated hitter Jacob Nester (Hillsville, Va.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the third time in the inning. Lewis drew another walk to score Smith and a passed ball allowed Bebber to scamper home to give the Wasps their first lead of the game at 10-9. Hill slugged a two-RBI double to score two more and push the E&H advantage out to 12-9. The offensive onslaught continued as Hoppes walked and Foley lashed a two-RBI double to the outfield to run the score out to 14-9. LMU scored twice in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough as E&H took the win by a 14-11 final.
Junior pitcher Brady Halstead (Indian Trail, N.C.) earned his first victory in a Wasp uniform on the mound after scattering two runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts in two innings of work. Merrick Graham suffered the loss for Lincoln Memorial after allowing three runs and walking two batters while only recording one out. Smith led the offensive attack for Emory & Henry with four RBIs on a pair of hits. Foley drove in three runs while Hill plated a pair. Hensley, Bebber, Howell and Lewis all collected an RBI in the win.
Up Next
Emory & Henry is back on the road on Tuesday, March 11 when the Wasps travel to take on Southwest Virginia rivals the University of Virginia's College at Wise. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from Wise, Virginia.
--E&H--