Railsplitters Sweep Mighty Oaks To Run The Table Against Week's Competition

Box Score

HARROGATE, TN - The Lincoln Memorial University baseball team won its seventh consecutive game Sunday afternoon when the Railsplitters knocked off the Mighty Oaks of Oakland City University 15-3 for the third time in two days.  The victory also improved the Railsplitters to a perfect 6-0 against the week's competition and moves LMU to 21-12 on the season.

On Saturday, the Railsplitters made strong showings in the opening two games of the series by knocking off OCU 14-1 and 8-0.  Sunday's win was equally as impressive as the Railsplitters run-ruled the Mighty Oaks in seven innings, while pounding out 15 hits on the afternoon.

Oakland City struck first blood in Sunday's final game when Maykal Makarem belted a solo homerun to left field in the top of the first inning to give the Mighty Oaks a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom of the inning, the Railsplitters tied things at 1-1 when Tommy Casto scored on a throwing error by the OCU catcher.

After holding the Mighty Oaks scoreless in the top of the second, the Railspitters unloaded on OCU in the bottom of the inning for eight runs.  The barrage was started by Eric Kitts who hit a lead off homerun to right field.  LMU then generated eight more hits in the inning and seven more runs to take a commanding 9-1 lead.

In the top of the third, OCU got their second run of the game when Juan Carlos Calderon hit an RBI single to right center.  The rally was short-lived however, as LMU quickly silenced the Mighty Oaks in the next at bat..

The Railsplitters went scoreless in the bottom of the third inning and gave up no more damage in the top of the fourth.  However, in the bottom of the fourth inning, LMU opened up on the Mighty Oaks again by putting five runs across the plate on an RBI double by John Couch, a sacrifice fly to center field by Shane Kaufman, an RBI single by Bryon Izzo through the left side, and RBI double down the left field line by Cody Pack and a RBI single by Nick Langley through the left side.

Now leading 14-2, the Railsplitters shut OCU down again in the top of the fifth and sixth innings before tacking on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.  In his first at bat of the game, LMU's Chase Quarles hit a triple to right center and later scored on a wild pitch to put LMU ahead 15-2.

Facing a third straight loss to the Railsplitters by virtue of the run-rule, the Mighty Oaks made their last gasp in the top of the seventh inning when Gustavo Bencid hit a lead-off homerun to left center field.  The run ended there as LMU retired three of the next four batters to come away with the 15-3 win.

Railsplitter senior pitcher Mitch Kramer pitched six of the seven innings work to pick-up the win and to improve to 4-1 on the year.  Kramer gave up only sixt hits, two runs and two earned runs with no walks and six strikeouts.

OCU's Trent Creek got the loss.  Creek only lasted 1.2 innings before getting the hook and allowed nine hits, nine runs and eight earned runs with one walk and one strikeout.

Now 21-12 overall, the Railsplitters have won seven straight and are set to face non-conference opponent Virginia Intermont College this week on the road in Bristol, Virginia.  LMU will resume conference play this weekend when they play host to the Lions of Mars Hill College in a three-game series that is set to get underway Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. on the Lamar Hennon Field with a single nine inning game, with the finale set for Saturday in a double-header that will get underway at 1:00 p.m. 

Which fall sport are you looking forward to the most?