EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (11-25) got back in the win column Tuesday afternoon, defeating border rival King (Tenn.) University (12-27) in non-conference play. The Wasps recorded 16 runs on 17 hits as they downed the Tornado.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 16, King (Tenn.) 11
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Porterfield-DeVault Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (11-25, 6-18 SAC); King (12-27, 9-15 Carolinas)
How It Happened
The Tornado was first on the board in the top of the first inning, scoring one run on three hits. Emory & Henry struck back in the bottom of the first when sophomore shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) singled, junior outfielder Jadden Rodriguez (Thomasville, N.C.) was hit by a pitch and junior designated hitter Kyle Fields (Lynchburg, Va.) plated one with an RBI single. Senior third baseman Drew Park (Mooresville, N.C.) followed with a two-RBI base knock two batters later and the Wasps led 3-1.
After a scoreless second inning, the Tornado put up two more runs on the back of three hits to tie the contest at 3-3. The tie was short-lived however, as Emory & Henry tallied two more runs on another two-RBI hit by Park to put E&H back in front 5-3. The Wasps added another two runs in the fourth when sophomore outfielder Rhett Barker (Charlotte, N.C.) drove in a run on a King error and Hoppes brought him around to score with an RBI single of his own to make it 7-3. E&H pushed its advantage to 9-3 in the fifth when Park recorded his fifth RBI of the game on a fielder's choice and junior second baseman Ryan Paynton (Walnut Creek, Calif.) delivered an RBI double to score Park.
The Emory & Henry offensive onslaught continued in the home half of the sixth inning as Barker reached on an error, stole second and scored on a King throwing error. Senior catcher Ky Gregoire (Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) drove in another run on an RBI double to push the Wasps' advantage out to 11-3. King had an answer in the top of the eighth inning, scoring four runs on four hits to trim the deficit to 11-7.
The Wasp bats came alive in the eighth as Rodriguez doubled, Fields singled and Park walked to load the bases. Junior first baseman J.D. James (China Grove, N.C.) came up with a clutch two-RBI single to score two runs and Paynton drilled an RBI single to left. Paynton and James moved into scoring position on a double steal and sophomore outfielder Stuart Callahan, III (Stuart, Va.) roped a two-RBI single to score both runners, giving Emory & Henry a 16-7 lead. The Tornado would rally for four more runs in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough as the Wasps earned the 16-11 win.
Junior right-handed pitcher Ivan Delp (Sparta, N.C.) earned his second consecutive win on the mound as he turned in a strong outing, allowing five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work. Bhraedon Meredith was the losing pitcher for King as he surrendered a pair of runs on two hits in just one inning on the mound. Park paced the offensive attack for E&H as he finished 2-for-4 with five RBIs. James, Paynton and Callahan all collected a pair of runs driven in.
Up Next
The Wasps hit the road this weekend when they travel to take on the No. 22 nationally-ranked Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne University in a three-game South Atlantic Conference series. First pitch of Friday's game one is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. from Hickory, North Carolina.
--E&H--