EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry Baseball Team (8-20) defeated Bluefield State (3-20) in game one of a three-game non-conference series Friday afternoon. The Wasps tallied 10 runs on 13 hits to defeat the Big Blue by a 10-2 final margin. Fifth-year second baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) continued his assault on the E&H record book as he set a new program standard for career RBIs, drilling two home runs to push his career total for runs driven in to 101 and counting.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 10, Bluefield State 2
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (8-20, 3-12 SAC); Bluefield State (3-20)
How It Happened
Bluefield State took an early lead in the top of the first as they tallied one run on three hits and an E&H error to jump ahead 1-0. The Wasps would get on the board in the home half of the second inning. Senior first baseman Jacob Bebber (Taylorsville, N.C.) led off the inning with a double and fifth-year designated hitter Caeden Howell (Roaring River, N.C.) drew a walk to set the table. Back-to-back passed balls allowed Bebber to come in to score and fifth-year outfielder Triston Hensley (Covington, Va.) followed with a two-run home run to put the Wasps up 3-1.
Emory & Henry added two more in the bottom of the fifth. Foley etched his name into the record books once again as he got the inning started with a solo home run to left field to put him alone at the top of the career RBI standings with the 98th of his storied career, surpassing Adam Hall (2005-07). Senior third baseman Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.) singled, advanced to second on an error, stole third and scored on a Bebber sacrifice fly as the score stood at 5-1 through five innings.
The Big Blue struck for a run in the top of the sixth, but the Wasps had an immediate answer in the bottom of the inning. Fifth-year catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) singled, fifth-year outfielder Matt Hill (Pineville, N.C.) walked and senior outfielder Khadeem Lewis (Chesterfield, Va.) plated Bailey with an RBI single. Foley launched his second bomb of the day, this of the three-run variety, to give the Wasps a comfortable 9-2 advantage. Emory & Henry would go on to add another insurance run in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Hill to send the score to its final at 10-2.
Junior starting pitcher Jacob Nester (Hillsville, Va.) picked up the win on the mound as he scattered two runs on nine hits while fanning three BSU batters in 5.2 innings of work. Fifth-year reliever John McCarthy (Hampton, Va.), sophomore Jacob Iverson (Fort Mill, S.C.) and junior Garrett Williams (Charlottesville, Va.) combined for 3.1 innings of scoreless relief out of the bullpen to help seal the win for the Wasps. Grayson Peel took the loss for Bluefield State after surrendering eight runs and nine hits in 5.1 innings on the hill. Foley led the way offensively for E&H with four RBIs on a pair of hits. Hensley drove in two runs while Smith, Bebber and Bailey all collected a pair of base knocks.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will wrap up the three-game series against the Big Blue on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for noon from Porterfield-DeVault Field.
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