EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (14-29) broke out the bats as they outlasted Concord University (22-15) for a home non-conference win inside Porterfield-DeVault Field Tuesday afternoon. The Wasps recorded 22 hits, a program record for the DII era, and put up 19 runs on the back of four home runs to edge the Mountain Lions by a 19-17 final score. Senior first baseman Jacob Bebber (Taylorsville, N.C.) tied the single-game program record for home runs with three, while senior third baseman Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.) set yet another program record for single-season doubles with his 19th and 20th of the year.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 19, Concord 17
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (14-29, 5-19 SAC); Concord (22-15, 13-5 MEC)
How It Happened
The Mountain Lions got the scoring barrage underway in the top of the first inning with a solo home run to put them on top 1-0. The Wasps had an answer in the home half of the inning. Freshman shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) reached on a fielder's choice and Bebber launched his first home run of the day to put E&H ahead 2-1. Fifth-year designated hitter Caeden Howell (Roaring River, N.C.) drew a walk, moved up to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI double from fifth-year outfielder Triston Hensley (Covington, Va.) to make it 3-1 after one inning.
Concord reduced the deficit to one in the top of the second with another solo shot, but Emory & Henry put up three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Fifth-year outfielder Matt Hill (Pineville, N.C.) drew a walk, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI double from Hoppes. Smith followed with an RBI double of his own to push the advantage out to 5-2. The Wasps would score once more on a CU error and the score stood at 6-2. The Mountain Lions roared back in the top of the third with six runs on three separate long balls to leapfrog into the lead 8-6. The home team chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the inning when fifth-year catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) doubled, advanced on another wild pitch and touched home on an RBI double by fifth-year second baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) to bring the Wasps within one at 8-7.
CU scored twice more in the top of the fourth with two more solo shots, but again Emory & Henry had a response. Smith walked, Bebber was hit by a pitch and Howell singled to load the bases. Bailey delivered a grand slam over the wall in left-center field to score four runs and put the Wasps ahead by a narrow 11-10 margin. Concord continued to hit the ball over the fence as they registered another long ball, this one of the two-run variety to take another lead at 12-11. E&H struck back in the bottom of the inning as Smith led off with a double and Bebber left the yard for the second time in the game as the lead changed hands once more, running the score to 13-12 in favor of the home team.
The Mountain Lions scored three times in the top of the sixth via a balk and another two-run home run to push them ahead 15-13. The Wasps would not go away as Foley singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth and scored on a Hoppes RBI triple. Smith drew a walk and Bebber drilled a three-run bomb. Hensley reached on a fielder's choice, Bailey walked and Hill singled to load the bases, before a wild pitch allowed Hensley to cross home and give the Wasps an 18-15 lead. Both teams were held scoreless in the seventh, but E&H added to their run total in the bottom of the eighth. Howell, Hensley and Hill all drew walks to load the bases and senior outfielder Khadeem Lewis (Chesterfield, Va.) delivered an RBI single through the left side to balloon the home team's advantage out to 19-15. Concord would add two runs on yet another two-run home run in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough as the Wasps held on for the 19-17 victory.
Junior pitcher Matthew Hollar (Manassas, Va.) picked up the win on the hill for the Wasps as he allowed three runs on three hits with a strikeout in 1.2 innings of work. Junior Avery Salyer (Thaxton, Va.) contributed two scoreless innings of relief out of the bullpen to help secure the win. Mason Kisamore took the loss for the Mountain Lions as he surrendered two runs on one hit and a walk without recording an out. Bebber was the tip of the offensive spear for E&H as he finished with seven RBIs on his three home runs. Bailey had four RBIs on three base knocks while Foley recorded four hits. Smith and Howell each registered three hits in the win.
Up Next
The Wasps hit the road this weekend when they travel to take on the Lions of Mars Hill University for a three-game South Atlantic Conference series. First pitch of game one is scheduled for Friday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m. from Henderson Field.
--E&H--