CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Senior outfielder Nate Stinson rocked a solo home run in the first inning of Lincoln Memorial University baseball's South Atlantic Conference opening series finale Saturday afternoon at Tuckaseegee Dream Fields in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Railsplitters added four more runs to secure their first league win of 2020 over Queens University of Charlotte.
 
The 5-1 game two victory of the doubleheader followed a 2-1 game one setback earlier Saturday.
 
Freshman catcher Sam Mast turned in a 2-for-3, two RBI day at the dish in LMU's game two triumph and senior infielder Tyler Adams went 2-for-4 with the Railsplitters' lone RBI in game one of the twinbill.
 
The split moves LMU to 5-9 on the season and 1-2 in conference action, while the host Royals go to 2-13 overall and 2-1 in SAC play.
 
The Railsplitters got a pair of strong pitching performances on the day beginning with senior left-hander Hooper Mills, who tossed the first seven and 2/3 innings of game one, striking out six and giving up just one earned run in 31 batters faced. Redshirt sophomore right-hander Evan Porter got the game two start and made the best of his afternoon, striking out three and allowing only one run in five complete innings and 18 batters faced.  
 
Game One | Queens 2, LMU 1
Queens scored a pair of runs on eight hits, including a walk-off RBI single to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning.
 
Collecting five hits in the outing, LMU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out RBI double to left center field by Adams. Senior outfielder Brent Richey scored on the play after reaching on a walk.
 
With Mills in control on the mound, both teams went scoreless for the following three innings before the Royals knotted things up in the bottom of the fourth. A pair of singles led to a two-out RBI single to right field by Queens' catcher Chris Brady, making it 1-1.
 
A two-out double to right center field in the top of the sixth looked promising for the Railsplitters as junior designated hitter Brandon Parrott singled through the left side. However, Adams was thrown out at home on a great defensive play by the Royals.
 
Both teams turned double plays in the seventh frames before no hits were recorded in the eighth. Adams reached on an error in the top of the ninth and a sacrifice bunt by senior pinch hitter Zuriel Collins advanced him to second before a wild pitch got the shortstop to third. Despite the opportunity for the go-ahead run, a strikeout and a line out quickly halted LMU's chance of driving in a score.
 
A leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning allowed for a sacrifice bunt before Queens first baseman Alex Sexton connected on the walk-off RBI single.
 
The Royals' left fielder RJ Conner, Sexton and Brady all went 2-for-3 in the game as righty reliever Madisyn Bolin (1-1) got the win on the hill with a strikeout in one inning pitched. Centerfielder Nick Brassington was 1-for-3 at the plate, scoring both of the game's runs and being walked once.
 
Game Two | LMU 5, Queens 1
Tallying seven hits to score five runs, the Railsplitters once again went up 1-0 in the top of the opening inning and added a score in the second before crossing home plate three times in the sixth.
 
Stinson's first homer of the season set the tone and after the hosts tied things up at 1-1 in the bottom of the first, LMU retook the lead in the top of the second on an RBI sacrifice fly from redshirt freshman Brock Umberger.
 
Without either team able to score a run in the third through fifth innings, the Railsplitters opened things up in the sixth with three runs on a trio of hits. Mast's two RBI double highlighted the inning as LMU took a commanding 5-1 lead that it would not relinquish.
 
The Railsplitters turned their third double play of the game to end the sixth and the visitors did not allow a run in the seventh to take the final game of the weekend series.
 
Stinson finished the contest 2-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Adams, Parrott and redshirt senior first baseman Grady Wright all knocked in a hit and scored a run.
 
Queens' Conner went 2-for-3 at the plate and Noah Jones had the Royals' lone RBI of the game. Right-handed starter Tanner Jacobson (0-2) took the loss after allowing three earned runs and walking two in five innings of work with six strikeouts.  
 
Up Next…
The Railsplitters return home for a midweek non-conference matchup with Lee University Tuesday afternoon. First pitch from Lamar Hennon Field is scheduled for 2 p.m. Next weekend, LMU steps back into SAC play and travels to Newberry for a three-game set beginning Friday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.
 
How to Follow
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms - @LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram, for complete coverage of Railsplitter baseball throughout the 2020 season.