MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – Lincoln Memorial (35-18) continued its deepest postseason run in program history with an 11-6 victory Saturday at Scarborough Field to eliminate UNC Pembroke (41-17). The seventh-seeded Railsplitters advance another day in the double-elimination NCAA Division II Southeast Regional and will face the winner of Catawba and USC Aiken's matchup Sunday at noon.
The Railsplitters pounded out 16 hits on their way to 11 runs. Both are program records in NCAA tournament play.
Lincoln Memorial used a five-run fifth inning to jump ahead 7-3 and never looked back.
Russell Clark (Wexford, Pa.) finished 3-for-5 and drove in four runs.
Logan Augustine (Urbandale, Iowa) went 3-for-4, reached base five times and scored twice.
Seth Hunt (Knoxville, Tenn.) also contributed three hits and scored thrice.
Eric Kalman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) reached base four times, and
Mason Ewers (Kingsport, Tenn.) added a two-run homer.
Muta Crusoe (Bellwood, Ill.) was the only Railsplitter not to record a hit but did drive in a pair of runs.
After picking up the win Friday,
Dominic Morabito (Vienna, Va.) worked into the ninth Saturday to earn another victory. The righty improved to 9-4 to become just the fifth player in program history to pick up nine wins in a season. Morabito allowed six runs (four earned) in a career-high 8.1 innings and struck out seven. He tied a season high with 10 hits allowed but didn't walk anyone in a 133-pitch effort.
Drew Beaver finished 2-for-3 with three RBI for the Braves. Lucas Ledford and Nick Debo also picked up two hits apiece.
The Braves hit just .200 (3-for-15) with runners in scoring position.
UNC Pembroke took a quick 1-0 lead in the first courtesy of two Railsplitter errors. Roberto Rivera reached on a Crusoe fielding error to lead off the inning. The next batter, Ledford, put down a bunt and Clark threw the ball away to allow Rivera to score.
Ewers put the Railsplitters ahead 2-1 in the third with a two-run homer following a Hunt single.
The Braves took the lead back in the fourth on a two-run double by Beaver.
Lincoln Memorial followed that up with six straight hits to open the top of the fifth. This included RBI hits from Augustine, Clark,
Timmy Wages (Molin, Ill.) and Kalman. Crusoe drove in another run on a fielder's choice to complete the five-run outburst.
Clark doubled in Hunt and Augustine the next inning to put the Railsplitters up 9-3.
UNC Pembroke answered with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth and another in the seventh to pull within three runs. Stibel Aleman Saba and Beaver both brought in runs on groundouts in the sixth, and Debo singled in the run in the seventh following another Railsplitter error.
Lincoln Memorial added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth on sac flies by Crusoe and Clark.
Morabito gave up a leadoff single to Nick Salisbury in the bottom of the ninth before striking our Rivera to end his day. He was relieved by
Cody Hinson (Taylor Ridge, Ill.), who recorded the final two outs.
The Railsplitters have faced the three highest-scoring teams nationally in the tournament and have outscored the opposition 19-16. The team will face another tough task Sunday, as USC Aiken entered the tournament ranked fifth and Catawba seventh in runs scored.
Lincoln Memorial has faced both USC Aiken and Catawba this season. The Railsplitters won three of four matchups over fellow South Atlantic Conference member Catawba, including a 10-6 win in the SAC tournament three weeks ago. Lincoln Memorial was swept by USC Aiken to open the season back in early February and was outscored 27-10 in the three-game series.
