Railsplitters Salvage Split With Ohio Valley University

Photo by Allen Earl Photography

HARROGATE, TN - It took some time, but the Lincoln Memorial University baseball team finally got the bats going Wednesday evening to come away with a split in their double-header with Fighting Scots of Ohio Valley University.  The Railsplitters only generated five hits in Wednesday's first game and pulled up short, losing to OVU 5-3 in eight innings, while pounding out 11 hits in game-two to come away with a 12-4 win over the Fighting Scots.

The Railsplitters and the Fighting Scots both came out slow in Wedneday's first game.  In fact, it wasn't until the top of the third inning that either team was able to put a run across the plate.  OVU third baseman Justin Warton got the Fighting Scots on the scoreboard first when he hit an RBI single to third that scored teammate Ryan Barber.  Only a couple of batters later, teammate John Ortiz singled through the right side to give OVU a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the inning.

After holding LMU scoreless again in the bottom of the inning, the Fighting Scots were shut down at the plate in the top of the fourth by Railsplitter hurler Ray Burchell.  In the bottom of the fourth, LMU senior Jason Pabon led off with a double to right center.  One batter later, Pabon scored when teammate Eric Kitts singled to left field and was then thrown out at second trying to stretch the base knock into a double.  By the end of the inning, LMU was back in the game 2-1.

In the top of the fifth, the Fighting Scots added another run to their lead when Joey Hallinan hit a lead-off homerun to left field.  The long ball gave OVU a 3-1 lead that stood until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Railsplitter's Bryon Izzo scored on a wild pitch and Cody Church crossed the plate before teammate Cody Pack was caught in a double steal attempt.

With the score tied at 3-3, the game remained deadlocked until the top of the eighth inning.  OVU's Ben Meneley hit an RBI double and Matt Wharton hit an RBI single to left center to give the Fighting Scots the runs they need to put LMU away in eight innings of play.

LMU's Ray Burchell got the loss.  Burchell entered the game in relief to pitch 4.1 innings of work, giving up five hits, three runs and three earned runs, while recording four strikeouts.  The loss drops Burchell to 1-1 on the year. 

Shayne Miller got the win for Ohio Valley University.  Miller also entered the game in relief in the sixth inning and went 2.1 innings before giving up the mound.  Miller gave up no damage and had two walks a and a strikeout before getting credit for the win.

In game-two, again it was OVU that took the early 3-0 in the top of the second inning on an RBI single to right center by Ben Meneley.  The Fighting Scots added to the lead and made it 4-0 in the top of the third when Shayne Miller hit a sac fly to right field.

With the game looking like it was going to be all Ohio Valley University, LMU came storming back to even the score in the bottom of the third when Issac Edmonds hit into a fielders choice and picked up the RBI, Jason Pabon hit a single to right field that scored a run and Eric Kitts hit a two RBI double to right center to make it 4-4.

Playing with new life, the fourth, fifth and sixth innings all belonged to the Railsplitters.  In the bottom of the fourth, LMU third baseman Tommy Casto scored on an OVU throwing error from third, and then LMU's Lee Philson scored on an error by the Fighting Scots.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Railsplitter senior catcher Bryon Izzo went out of the yard over the left center fence for the fifth time this season to score three more runs, and then in the sixth inning, Erik Kitts homered to right field to tack on two runs to give the Railsplitters their eventual 12-4 margin of victory. 

Junior Scott Erland got the start and picked up the win to move to 1-0 on the season.  Erland pitched the first four innings, allowing seven hits, four runs and four earned runs, while recording a walk and two strikeouts.  Ohio Valley's Ryan Highman took the loss.  Highman lasted the first four innings as well, giving up six hits, seven runs and six earned runs with three walks and a strikeout.

Now 14-11 on the year, the Railsplitters are now hoping that mother nature will cooperate and allow them to play their three-game home conference series this weekend with Brevard College.  The Railsplitters and the Tornados are slated for a nine inning game Friday evening that will get underway at 7:00 p.m. on the Lamar Hennon Field, while Saturday's double-header is set to begin at 1:00 o'clock.

Game One:  Ohio Valley 5, Lincoln Memorial 3
Mar 11, 2009 at Harrogate, TN
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Ohio Valley......... 002 010 02 -  5 12  4      (3-10)
Lincoln Memorial.... 000 102 00 -  3  5  1      (13-11)
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Pitchers: Ohio Valley - Kyle Lawrence; Shayne Miller(6); Kyle York(8). Lincoln Memorial - Brandon Neff; Ray Burchell(3); Logan Brady(8).
Win-Shayne Miller  Save-Kyle York  Loss-Ray Burchell(1-1)  T-2:39  A-75
HR OVUM09 - Joey Hallinan.
K. Lawrence faced 2 batters in the 6th.
R. Burchell faced 3 batters in the 8th.
Complete Box Score

Game Two:  Lincoln Memorial 12, Ohio Valley 4
Mar 11, 2009 at Harrogate, TN
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Ohio Valley......... 031 000 0 -  4  7  2      (3-11)
Lincoln Memorial.... 004 233 X - 12 11  0      (14-11)
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Pitchers: Ohio Valley - Ryan Highman; Jordan Tuten(5). Lincoln Memorial - Scott Erland; Steven Starbird(5); Logan Brady(7).
Win-Scott Erland(1-0)  Loss-Ryan Highman  T-2:03  A-0
HR LMU - Eric Kitts (3); Bryon Izzo (5).
R. Highman faced 1 batter in the 5th.
Complete Box Score

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