Railsplitters Defeat Limestone For The Second Time This Week

Courtesy of Limestone College

Box Score

GAFFNEY, SC --  The Limestone College Saints were overpowered by Lincoln Memorial University Thursday afternoon at Bob Prevette Field by a final score of 15-6. The Saints gave up four homeruns and were out-hit 17-11. Limestone’s record falls to 14-13 overall while the Railsplitters improve to 18-12. 

Lincoln Memorial used a pair of solo shots in the top of the second to grab a 2-0 lead. Ralph Rosas (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) led the inning off with a bomb before John Couch (Bonnyman, Ky.) blasted one of his own. The Railsplitters rallied for two more runs in the top of the third inning. With two outs in the inning, Rosas gave Lincoln Memorial a 3-0 lead when he connected on a run-scoring double. With the bases loaded, Eric Kitts (Blaine, Tenn.) came through with an RBI single to give the Railsplitters the 4-0 advantage.

Limestone got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Aldo Mendez (Cirda, Puerto Rico) reached first on a fielding error to lead off the inning. Drew Lydon (White Plains, Md.) followed with a double, sending Mendez to third. Mendez then came home on David Christy’s (Greenville, S.C.) sacrifice fly, reducing the Railsplitters lead to 4-1.

Lincoln Memorial responded in the top of the fifth. Rosas opened the frame by reaching first on an error. Kitts would later score Rosas on an RBI fielder’s choice to give the Railsplitters a 5-1 lead. Couch made it a 7-1 game in the next at-bat as he connected on a two-run homer, his second round tripper of the afternoon. The Saints tallied another run in their half of the fifth. Tim Welsh (Kalamazoo, Mich.) started the inning off by reaching first base on an error. Welsh promptly stole second before eventually coming home to score on Greg Dailey’s (Baltimore, Md.) RBI single, making it a 7-2 affair.

The Railsplitters added a single run in the top of the sixth inning as Cody Pack (Andersonville, Tenn) made it an 8-2 ballgame with solo homerun. The Saints responded with a power swing of their own in the bottom of the inning as Lydon led off with a solo shot, reducing the lead to 8-3.

Lincoln Memorial built upon their lead in the top of the seventh. Couch drove in yet another run as he followed Kitts’ single with a triple, giving the visitors a 9-3 lead. Shane Kaufman (Miramar, Fla.) made it 10-3 when his single drove in Couch.

Kitts drove in two more runs with a double in the top of the eighth to give the Railsplitters a 12-3 lead. Limestone added two runs in their half of the inning. Christy started the inning off with a walk and advanced to second when Joe Maloney (Aston, Pa.) was hit by a pitch. Christy scored on Seth Austin’s (Hurdle Mills, N.C.) single. Maloney scored when Welsh laced a one-out double, closing the gap to 12-5. The Saints would load the bases on a walk by Ryan McKenzie (Dunedin, Fla.) but were unable to capitalize as the next two batters popped up.

LMU would take advantage of the wildness by Limestone pitcher Clint Howell (Mocksville, N.C.) in the top of the ninth. Howell walked Kaufman to lead off the frame, and then threw two wild pitches to the next batter, Bryon Izzo (Miramar, Fla.), which allowed Kaufman to take second and then third base. Howell eventually walked Izzo. Both runners would advance on a balk by Howell, give Lincoln Memorial a 13-5 lead. The Railsplitters eventually loaded the bases with no outs on walks by Tommy Castro (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) and Pack. Nick Langley (Blaine, Tenn.) and Rosas would drove in a run apiece with consecutive sacrifice flies to give the visiting team a 15-5 lead. The Saints made a final effort to rally in the bottom of the ninth as Mendez tripled to lead off the frame. Lydon drove him home with a single. However, the Saints fell short in reducing the lead any further.

Getting the start and taking the loss for the Saints was Marques Kyles (Spartanburg, S.C.). Kyles falls to 0-3 on the year as he gave up 5 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks in 2 2/3 innings. Kyles added a strike out. George Hardin (Forest City, N.C.) pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits, a walk, and a hit batter. Harden collected a strikeout. Drew Luedtke (Cary, Ill.) went two innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Gaffney-native Brock White pitched the eighth inning, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. White fanned two. Howell made an appearance but failed to record an out. Howell was stung with three runs on four walks. Aaron Johnson (Statesville, N.C.) recorded an inning of work.

Stephen Starbird (Rutledge, Tenn.) took the rubber for Lincoln Memorial as he collected the win. He pitched over five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits. Starbird fanned one. Brandon Neff (Naples, Fla.) gave up 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks while he struck out 2 in 2 1/3 innings of work. Ray Burchell (Corryton, Tenn.) gave up a run on 2 hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Leading the battery for Lincoln Memorial was Couch as he went 3-for-5 with 2 big flies, a triple, 4 RBIs, and 3 runs scored. Kitts also collected three hits, a double, four RBIs, and two runs scored. Rosas went 2-for-5 with a homerun, a double, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Pack added a homerun, two walks, an RBI, and a run scored. Castro chipped in with a hit, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Langley had two hits, one being a double, an RBI, and a run scored while Jason Pabon (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) added 3 hits, a double, and a run scored. Kaufman collected two hits, an RBI, a walk, and a run scored. Izzo scored a run.

Lydon led the Saints offense as he hit 3-for-5 afternoon. Lydon homered, doubled, drove in two runs, and scored once. Welsh accounted for two of Limestone’s hits, one being a double. Welsh had an RBI and scored once. Dailey added a hit and an RBI while Mendez tripled and scored twice. Christy added a single, an RBI, and a run scored. Austin drove in an RBI on a hit. McKenzie and Adam Vafides (Niceville, Fla.) contributed one hit apiece.

LMU hosts Oakland City on Saturday. Game time is slated at 1 p.m.

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