HARROGATE, Tenn. – Lincoln Memorial swept both ends of a doubleheader against the Ohio Valley Fighting Scots (1-4) Friday in the team's 2018 debut at the new Lamar Hennon Field. The Railsplitters combined to outscore Ohio Valley 30-2 and outhit the Fighting Scots 28-6 over the two games as they won the nine-inning opener 12-1 and the seven-inning back end 18-1.
Due to heavy rain in the weekend forecast, the series finale will be played on Sunday at a time to be determined. An announcement will be made regarding that game as soon as it is determined.
Game One: Lincoln Memorial 12, Ohio Valley 1
Tyler Adams (3-for-3, 3 RBI) and
Seth Hunt (2-for-3, 3 R) were the offensive catalysts for Lincoln Memorial in game one. Both reached base five times and played a role in eight of the team's runs. In addition to the three hits, Adams was hit by a pitch twice, stole a base and scored a run. Hunt walked three times, drove in a run on a triple and also stole a base.
Despite totaling 13 hits, no other Railsplitter recorded more than one.
Meanwhile,
Ethan Elliott posted another stellar start on the mound with just one earned run and two hits allowed in seven innings to pick up his first win of the season. The lefty also struck out 10 for the second straight start. He gave up a leadoff double in the top of the second then retired 11 straight batters before allowing his only other base knock to open the top of the sixth.
The game was a pitchers' duel through four innings, as Ohio Valley starter Matthew Carey had only allowed Hunt to score on a passed ball following his triple. However, he ran out of gas in the fifth and allowed three runs to score—the last two of which came on an Adams single—to finish his day with four runs allowed in 4.1 innings. The righty gave up five hits, walked two and struck out six.
Four Fighting Scot relievers combined to give up eight runs and issue six free passes over the final 3.2 innings.
LMU added a run in the sixth when
Mason Ewers walked with the bases loaded—one of four walks in the inning— and exploded for seven more in the seventh.
Dalton Dedas kicked off the barrage with a single to drive in Adams, who led off the inning by being hit by a pitch.
Marco Rios delivered the big blow up next with a three-run triple. Hunt,
Joe Stucky and Adams added RBI hits in the inning.
Jake Grenus and
Evan Porter each pitched a scoreless inning and struck out two to close out the game.
Game Two: Lincoln Memorial 18, Ohio Valley 1
Nate Stinson (2-for-2, 3 R, 3 RBI) and
Logan Augustine (3-for-3) starred offensively for the Railsplitters in the back end of the doubleheader. Stinson homered, reached base three times and added a sac fly. Augustine hit safely in all three of his at-bats, scored twice and added and RBI.
Timmy Wages and
Chris Salvey also went deep.
The Railsplitters scored early and often with six runs in the first and five more in the second. Augustine kicked off the scoring with an RBI double, and Stinson and Wages each hit two-run home runs to left in the first. Ohio Valley committed three throwing errors in the inning.
Adams doubled in a run in the second, and Hunt singled in two more.
Muta Crusoe also drove in a run on a sac fly.
Lincoln Memorial scored one run in the fifth on a passed ball and six more in the sixth. Another run scored on a passed ball,
Will Reddick and
Peyton Sawyer hit sac flies and Salvey connected on a three-run homer for his first as a Railsplitter.
Travis Perkola went 2-for-3 with a double and scored Ohio Valley's only run.
Four Fighting Scot pitchers combined to allow 15 hits and seven walks. Starter Nicholas Shower gave up the first nine (six earned) in 1.1 innings.
Joe Bobiak improved to 2-0 with one earned run allowed in five innings. The lefty allowed three hits, walked one and struck out five. Two LMU reliever finished off the game with one scoreless inning apiece.
