Wingate Shuts Out Railsplitters On Senior Day

HARROGATE, TN - Playing their final home conference series of the season, the Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitter baseball team was blanked by the Bulldogs of Wingate University on Saturday 14-0 and 1-0 to possibly put a bid to the South Atlantic Conference Tournament out of LMU's reach.

To make matters worse, Saturday's opening two games of the three-game series were observed as senior day for Railsplitters Bryon Izzo, Mitch Kramer, Tommy Casto, Lee Philson, Ralph Rosas and Jason Pabon who now have only game-three with Wingate and next weekend's series with Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina to keep their playoff hopes alive.  

Even with a win on Sunday against Wingate, LMU would most likely need to sweep next weekend's series with Newberry and get some help from Carson-Newman in their conference match-up with Wingate to achieve their first ever SAC Tournament appearance.

Wingate's Tyler Almond (4-3) got the win for the Bulldogs in the first game.  Almond pitched seven innings, allowed four LMU hits and no runs with one walk and four strikeouts.  The Railsplitters Sean Woolard took the loss.  Woolard lasted just 1.2 innings before giving up the mound to teammate Steven Starbird.  Woolard gave up eight hits, six runs and six earned runs, while striking out two Wingate batters.

Bulldogs pitcher Joshua Karr picked up the win in the second game.  Karr pitched 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits and no runs with two walks an no strikeouts.  Late in the game, Karr gave up the mound in the seventh inning to teammate Lee Oxendine who got the final two outs on a double play ball that helped Wingate secure the win.  Oxendine got the save for his effort and Wingate held off LMU for the 1-0 victory.

LMU pitcher Josh Strawn suffered only his third loss of the season.  Strawn went the full seven innings, allowing only three Wingate hits and one unearned run while striking out three batters but couldn't close the deal.

Wingate moves to 21-24 on the year and 9-9 in South Atlantic Conference play, while the Railsplitters fall to 27-17 on the season and 6-12 in the South Atlantic Conference.  The Bulldogs and the Railsplitters will be in action Sunday in the final game of the three-game series at 1:00 p.m. on the Lamar Hennon Field.  

Game One:  Wingate 14, Lincoln Memorial 0
Apr 11, 2009 at Harrogate, TN
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Wingate............. 240 700 010  - 14 20  1      (20-24, 8-9 SAC)
Lincoln Memorial.... 000 000 000  -  0  6  2      (27-16, 6-11 SAC)
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Pitchers: Wingate - Tyler Almond; Ed Cook(8) and Dustin Hurdle; Josh Sugg. Lincoln Memorial - Sean Woolard; Steven Starbird(2) and Jason Pabon.
Win-Tyler Almond(4-3)  Loss-Sean Woolard(4-5)  T-2:30  A-0
HR WU - Mark Letchworth (15); Aaron Knowles (10).
Weather: Overcast, mid 50s
Complete Box Score

Game Two:  Wingate 1, Lincoln Memorial 0
Apr 11, 2009 at Harrogate, TN
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Wingate............. 010 000 0 -  1  5  1      (21-24, 9-9 SAC)
Lincoln Memorial.... 000 000 0 -  0  7  2      (27-17, 6-12 SAC)
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Pitchers: Wingate - Joshua Karr; Lee Oxendine(7) and Blair Troutman. Lincoln Memorial - Josh Strawn and Bryon Izzo.
Win-Joshua Karr(2-1)  Save-Lee Oxendine(1)  Loss-Josh Strawn(6-3)  T-1:40  A-125
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, mid 50s
Complete Box Score

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