HARROGATE, Tenn. – Senior outfielder Brent Richey launched a pair of home runs and sophomore right-handed pitcher Devin Morris claimed his first career complete game win to help lead the Lincoln Memorial University baseball team to a home-opening series victory and doubleheader sweep of Ohio Valley University Sunday afternoon at Lamar Hennon Field. The Railsplitters (3-4) notched a 3-2 win in game one of the doubleheader to even the weekend series at 1-1, before dominating the visiting Fighting Scots, 6-2, in a seven-inning game two.
 
Using 16 hits across the two games, LMU came back from an early deficit in both contests and overcame 18 hits by Ohio Valley (1-5).
 
Going 4-for-7 at the plate on the day, Richey racked up three RBI and scored a trio of runs, while junior Chattanooga State transfer first baseman Brandon Parrott went 4-for-8 with three RBI and two doubles.
 
Game 1 | LMU 3, Ohio Valley 2
Despite the Railsplitters' pitching staff giving up 12 hits, LMU used a two-run sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie after a Richey solo shot gave the home team its first lead of the weekend.
 
Two doubles by the Fighting Scots in the top of the second put Ohio Valley up 1-0 with second baseman Mark Ross hitting a one-out double down the left field line, allowing designated hitter Jakob Johnson to score.
 
The Railsplitters knotted things up at one apiece in the bottom of the fourth, manufacturing a run after both Richey and senior shortstop Tyler Adams were walked. Despite freshman designated hitter Jacob Critzer striking out, Richey and Adams were successful in a double-steal attempt to put runners in scoring position with only one out. Senior catcher Dalton Dedas then stepped to the plate and delivered a sacrifice fly to center field for Richey to score.
 
Following a scoreless fifth, Richey led off the bottom of the sixth with his seventh career home run. His solo shot over the left field wall giving LMU a 2-1 advantage, before Critzer reached on a Fighting Scot throwing error and Dedas singled to the pitcher. Parrott connected on a 1-2 pitch and drove it to left center field for an RBI double, bringing in Critzer for an unearned run from second base.
 
Despite Ohio Valley loading the bases in the top of the seventh, junior Murray State Community College transfer righty reliever Wesley Case got the Railsplitters out of the jam. The Fighting Scots threatened once again in the ninth, leading off the inning with a single and then getting a hit by pitch. A one-out walk and then a wild pitch gave Ohio Valley runners at second and third but LMU went to its bullpen for a closer. Sophomore right-hander Patrick Queener took the mound and earned his first career save after the Fighting Scots made it a one-run affair with an RBI single to shortstop by right fielder Giovanni Aiuto. Following sophomore centerfielder Tanner Head's defensive play from the outfield to get Ohio Valley catcher Gavin Kennard out on a single, Queener retired Johnson with a strikeout to make the 3-2 score go final.
 
Parrott went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI as Richey was 1-for-3 with a pair of runs and his RBI.
 
Senior East Tennessee State transfer right-handed reliever Hooper Mills (1-0) collected his first win as a Railsplitter with three strikeouts in two innings of work and 10 batters faced. Queener faced three batters in the ninth for the save.
 
The Fighting Scots' Aiuto went 3-for-4 with an RBI as shortstop Bryce Strawderman was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and Ross 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Left-hander Alex Jarrell got the start for Ohio Valley and went five complete innings with five strikeouts and three walks in 19 batters faced. Right-handed relief pitcher Nicholas Shower (0-1) took the loss on the hill after giving up two runs and striking out none in five batters faced in the sixth.  
 
Game 2 | LMU 6, Ohio Valley 2
LMU recorded 11 hits in the second game of the doubleheader, using a three-run second inning and a two-run fourth for its third win of 2020.
 
Behind 3-for-4 outings from freshman second baseman Max Palmieri and Richey, in addition to another 2-for-4 performance by Parrott, the Railsplitters scored in three different frames of the seven-inning contest and got a complete game from Morris (1-1).
 
A two-out RBI single to second base by Fighting Scot left fielder Mitchell Lohr allowed centerfielder Juan Lopez to score, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead in the opening inning. However, LMU responded in the bottom of the first with a Palmieri leadoff single, Palmieri stolen base, Richey single, Critzer walk and Parrott RBI fielder's choice.
 
Palmieri's run making it 1-1, Ohio Valley went back up by one in the top of the second on a leadoff solo homer over left field by Kennard.
 
Four hits led to the Railsplitters' most productive inning of the day as LMU scored a trio of runs in the bottom of the second beginning with an RBI single through the left side by freshman outfielder Collin Goda. Tied at 2-2, Richey rocked a two-run blast over the left field wall off a two-out, full-count pitch to put the home team in front 4-2.
 
After a scoreless third, the Railsplitters added two more runs in the fourth. A Goda leadoff walk was followed by a Palmieri single and Adamas walk before Critzer was walked for an RBI. Still with bases loaded, Parrott singled to second base for an RBI with Palmieri tagging home plate.
 
Morris limited the Fighting Scots to just one hit across the final four innings as he finished the day with eight strikeouts and just two walks in 23 batters faced and seven full innings.
 
Ohio Valley starting right-hander Garrett Bonnett struck out just one in one inning of work and gave up three earned runs in nine batters faced. Right-handed reliever Bryce Blaesing (0-1) took the loss on the mound after throwing two and 1/3 innings with three walks, a strikeout and three earned runs allowed in 13 batters faced.
 
Up Next…
The Railsplitters head to the Sunshine State next weekend for a three-game non-conference series at nine-time national champion Florida Southern Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14-15. Game one of the series is slated for 6 p.m. Friday at Henley Field in Lakeland, Florida.
 
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.