BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Senior Nick Morabito (Vienna, Va.) went 4-for-5 with three RBI and played all eight defensive positions as the Railsplitters (18-17) suffered a 6-4 setback to the King Tornado (17-16) in NCAA Division II baseball action on Tuesday in Bristol, Tenn.
 
Morabito took over the team-lead for batting average with his fourth consecutive multi-hit game, accounting for four of Lincoln Memorial's 11 hits while playing a part in three of the team's four runs. After his 4-for-5 showing, Morabito is 10 for his last 18, increasing his batting average to .387. The Vienna, Va. native played every defensive position in Tuesday's contest for the exception of pitcher, as he was unavailable on the mound after tossing 3 2/3 innings of relief on Monday at Tusculum.
 
Morabito staked the Railsplitters to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning with a two-run home run to left center field, his fifth dinger of the season.
 
The Tornado cut that lead in half in the bottom of the third with a double by Ryan Whitt and catapulted into the lead with three runs in the home half of the fourth. Josh Stephens kicked off that two-out rally and tied the game with a run entirely of his own making, singling back up the middle and stealing both second and third before eventually scoring on a wild pitch. A walk to Tyler Raymond put King back in business as he later scored on a single from Braden Cook. Jose Sola capped that three-run outburst with an RBI double to left.
 
King added another run in both the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, scoring on a J.P. Castaneda run-scoring single with two outs in the fifth and a sacrifice fly out from Cook in the sixth stanza. 
 
Morabito helped the Railsplitters trim the deficit back to 6-3 in the top of the seventh, driving in Jean Rodriguez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) with a two-out single to right field. Rodriguez reached earlier in the inning via a fielder's choice.
 
Lincoln Memorial put something together in both the eighth and ninth innings, but was unable to break through to either tie the game or take the lead. Colin Buckner (Harrodsburg, Ky.) and Jacob West (Maryville, Tenn.) singled to put two runners on base in the eighth, but scored only one run on a sacrifice fly out from Muta Crusoe (Bellwood, Ind.). The Railsplitters loaded the bases in the ninth following singles from Morabito and Kelvin Brito (Yabucoa, Puerto Rico), and a walk to Buckner, but a strikeout left all three runners stranded.
 
Carson Taylor (Fayetteville, Tenn.) made the start for the Railsplitters, allowing four runs and seven hits in four innings of work. He was saddled with the loss, falling to 0-2 on the season. Jake Watkins (Powder Springs, Ga.) threw two innings of relief with one hit, one strikeout and no runs allowed.
 
Alongside Morabito, Rodriguez and West finished with two hits apiece to help lead the LMU attack.
 
Jason Nebrat earned the win for the Tornado after allowing one earned run and three hits in three innings out of the bullpen. Nathan Helke picked up his 10th save of the season despite allowing two hits with a walk in the ninth frame. Stephens led the Tornado at the plate with three hits.
 
The Railsplitters return to South Atlantic Conference play and Lamar Hennon Field this weekend for a three-game series against the Mars Hill Lions, beginning with game one at 4 p.m. on Friday.