HICKORY, N.C. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (11-26, 6-19 SAC) dropped game one of its three-game weekend South Atlantic Conference series to No. 22 nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University (28-8-1, 17-7-1 SAC) Friday evening. The Wasps held the Bears to just four runs, but came up just short by a 4-1 final.

The Basics
FINAL SCORE – No. 22 Lenoir-Rhyne 4, Emory & Henry 1
LOCATION – Hickory, North Carolina
VENUE – Durham Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (11-26,  6-19 SAC); Lenoir-Rhyne (28-8-1, 17-7-1 SAC)

How It Happened
Lenoir-Rhyne wasted no time opening the scoring as the Bears struck for two runs on two hits and an E&H error in the bottom of the first inning for an early 2-0 advantage. Both teams were held scoreless through the second and third innings, but the Wasps tallied a run in the top of the fourth. Sophomore shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) led off with a single and advanced to third base on a base hit from junior first baseman Kyle Fields (Lynchburg, Va.). Senior catcher Ky Gregoire (Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) delivered a sacrifice fly to score Hoppes and cut the deficit to just one at 2-1.

That would be the only run of the contest for the Wasps however, as LR scored one run in the bottom of the fourth and another in the bottom of the fifth for the 4-1 victory. Paul Toovalian earned the win for Lenoir-Rhyne as he allowed just one run on five hits while striking out 11 batters over seven innings on the hill. Senior right-handed pitcher Jacob Nester (Hillsville, Va.) suffered the tough losing decision as he went the distance for the Wasps, giving up four runs, just two earned, on nine hits with five strikeouts in his eight innings of work. Hoppes and Fields led the offensive effort with a pair of hits each.

Up Next
The Wasps wrap up the three-game weekend series on Saturday with a doubleheader against the Bears. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Durham Field. 

--E&H--