EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (6-15) bounced back for a come-from-behind midweek win over Southwest Virginia rival the University of Virginia's College at Wise (6-14) Wednesday afternoon. The Wasps rallied for six runs over the final three innings to walk-off the Cavaliers by a 6-5 final score.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 6, UVA Wise 5
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (6-15, 3-9 SAC); UVA Wise (6-14, 3-9 SAC)
How It Happened
Neither team could break through on the scoreboard over the opening two innings of play, but the Cavaliers struck first in the top of the third. UVA Wise put up a run on one hit to take a 1-0 advantage. The pitchers kept the bats at bay over the fourth and fifth, but the visitors tallied another run in the top of the sixth again utilizing just one hit to make it 2-0.
Emory & Henry would score for the first time in the bottom of the seventh. Junior first baseman J.D. James (China Grove, N.C.) was hit by a pitch and senior designated hitter Jacob Nester (Hillsville, Va.) drew a walk to put runners on base. Junior third baseman Jeriel Lamboy (Caguas, PUERTO RICO) laid down a sacrifice bunt and reached on a throwing error by the Wise pitcher. The first baseman tried to throw out James at third, but the throw was errant allowing James to trot home to cut the deficit to 2-1. Nester touched home two batters later on a wild pitch and the score was knotted at 2-2.
The Cavaliers retook the lead in the top of the eighth inning on the back of a two-run home run and a balk to push their advantage back out to 5-2. The Wasps answered back in the bottom of the eighth inning. Sophomore shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) walked and junior outfielder Jadden Rodriguez (Thomasville, N.C.) launched a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, to pull E&H back within one run at 5-4. The Wasps completed the comeback in the bottom of the ninth. Freshman catcher Jaxon Ehret (Davidson, N.C.) singled up the middle and senior outfielder Clay Caldwell (Salem, Va.) and freshman outfielder Jase Kotwicki (Harrisburg, N.C.) were both hit by pitches to load the bases. Hoppes delivered a sacrifice fly to score Ehret and Rodriguez laced an RBI double to the wall in left to score Caldwell and walk-off the Cavaliers by the 6-5 final.
Senior righty Brady Halstead (Indian Trail, N.C.) earned the win on the mound for the Wasps after throwing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief while striking out a batter. Andrew Binns-Loveman took the loss for Wise after giving up a pair of runs on one hit in just .1 innings of work. Rodriguez finished with three RBIs on a pair of hits.
Up Next
Emory & Henry continues its homestand this weekend when the Wasps host the Eagles of Carson-Newman University for a three-game SAC weekend series. First pitch of Friday's game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Porterfield-DeVault Field.
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