EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (8-23, 5-16 SAC) dropped both ends of a South Atlantic Conference road doubleheader to No. 20 nationally-ranked Wingate University (26-8, 16-5 SAC) Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs took game one by a 16-9 tally, then held on for an 11-8 victory in the nightcap.
The Basics
GAME ONE – No. 20 Wingate 16, Emory & Henry 9
GAME TWO – No. 20 Wingate 11, Emory & Henry 8 (Seven Innings)
LOCATION – Wingate, North Carolina
VENUE – Ron Christopher Stadium
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (8-23, 5-16 SAC); Wingate (26-8, 16-5 SAC)
Game One - No. 20 Wingate 16, Emory & Henry 9
Wingate took an early lead as they put four runs up in the first inning and another in the second to jump ahead 5-0. E&H got a run back in the top of the third when senior third baseman Drew Park (Mooresville, N.C.) doubled, junior second baseman Jack Ferguson (Abingdon, Va.) singled and sophomore outfielder Stuart Callahan, III (Stuart, Va.) delivered a sacrifice fly to score a run and cut the deficit to 5-1.
The Bulldogs would immediately respond with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to push their advantage back out to 7-1. The Wasps rallied in the top of the fifth when freshman catcher Jaxon Ehret (Davidson, N.C.) singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Park walked and Callahan singled to load the bases. Sophomore outfielder Rhett Barker (Charlotte, N.C.) drilled an RBI single through the left side of the infield to score one and sophomore shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) followed one batter later with a two-RBI double to plate two more runs. One more runner would come across on an error and the score stood at 7-6.
Once again Wingate had an answer as they scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the bottom of the sixth to give themselves some breathing room at 10-6. Emory & Henry struck back with a pair of runs in the seventh on an RBI single by junior designated hitter J.D. James (China Grove, N.C.) and an RBI groundout from junior second baseman Jeriel Lamboy (Caguas, PUERTO RICO) to bring the Wasps back within striking distance at 10-8. Wingate pushed across five runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame, and added another insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning to see their lead grow to 16-8. Emory & Henry scored once in the top of the ninth on an RBI base hit from Callahan, but it was not enough as the Bulldogs took game one 16-9.
Junior lefty Drew Lanzo (Indian Trail, N.C.) took the loss for the Wasps after allowing seven runs on 11 hits while striking out three batters over three innings on the mound. JD Little was the winning pitcher for Wingate as he gave up six runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Park went 3-for-4 to pace the Wasps while Callahan and Hoppes each drove in a pair of runs.
Game Two - No. 20 Wingate 11, Emory & Henry 8 (Seven Innings)
The Wasps were first on the scoreboard in game two of the doubleheader as they scored a pair of runs on three hits in the top of the first. Junior outfielder Jadden Rodriguez (Thomasville, N.C.) singled, junior first baseman Kyle Fields (Lynchburg, Va.) singled and senior catcher Ky Gregoire (Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) walked to load the bases. Park laced a two-RBI single and the Wasps led 2-0. Wingate would leapfrog into the lead in the bottom of the first with three runs on three hits.
Emory & Henry bounced back in the top of the second as Lamboy singled, Callahan doubled and Barker plated a run on an RBI single. Hoppes followed with an RBI sacrifice bunt and E&H retook the lead 4-3. The lead was short-lived as the Bulldogs struck for four runs in the second, two in the third and two more in the fourth to push their advantage out to 11-4. The visitors from Emory mounted a late rally as they scored one run in the fifth, two in the sixth and another in the seventh, but the Bulldogs held off the charging Wasps to complete the weekend sweep by an 11-8 final.
Kolt Nelson picked up the win for the Bulldogs after allowing four runs on seven hits with two strikeouts in four innings. Sophomore Cole Gillis (Charlotte, N.C.) was saddled with the loss as he gave up nine runs, six earned, on eight hits while fanning four batters in three innings of work. Rodriguez finished 3-for-5 with an RBI while Barker, Park and Callahan all had a pair of knocks.
Up Next
Emory & Henry steps out of conference play on Tuesday, March 31 when the Wasps host the Mountain Lions of Concord University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Porterfield-DeVault Field.
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