NEWBERRY, S.C. – Timmy Wages' three-run shot in the top of the eighth inning provided all the offense the Lincoln Memorial University baseball team (17-7, 5-5 SAC) would need in a 3-2 win over Newberry (11-13, 4-6 SAC) Friday evening in the opener of a three-game South Atlantic Conference series.
 
Ethan Elliott pitched a season-high 8.2 innings and struck out 10 batters for the fourth time in seven starts. The lefty allowed two earned runs on seven hits and didn't walk anyone to improve to 3-2. Chase Randolph retired the final batter to pick up his second save.
 
Elliott's only blemishes were a Chase Barbary RBI single in the second inning and a Colin Allman solo shot to lead off the bottom of the ninth.
 
Evan Estridge was the hard-luck loser to fall to 1-3. Prior to Wages' home run, the righty held LMU scoreless through seven-plus innings. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits in 7.2 innings, walked two and struck out four.
 
The Railsplitters outhit Newberry 8-7. Wages and Tyler Adams each went 2-for-3 for LMU while Allman and Tyler White each finished 2-for-4 for Newberry.
 
Three of Newberry's seven hits came in the second inning. White's double followed by Barbary's RBI single that plated the game's first run.
 
Half of LMU's hits came in the eighth inning. Joe Stucky and Adams singled to set the table for Wages' three-run blast. Will Reddick also singled.
 
Newberry threatened in the ninth with Allman's homer followed by a Derek Olenchuk single. After a sacrifice bunt, Elliott picked up his tenth punchout—fifth looking—for the second out. Randolph came on and got White to fly out to seal the win.
 
The two teams resume their series on Saturday with a nine-inning game at 1 p.m. followed by a seven-inning game.