HARROGATE, Tenn. – Following a long 11 months without baseball, America's favorite pastime returned to Harrogate Friday evening with an entertaining 10 innings of drama-filled action between Lincoln Memorial University and Catawba College. The Railsplitters (0-1) took the visiting eighth-ranked Indians (0-1) to the brink at Lamar Hennon Field and held a 7-6 lead heading into the ninth inning, but Catawba got a three RBI double in the 10th frame for a 12-11 win.
 
The non-conference season opener featured 26 combined hits, 13 by each team, and runs scored in all but two innings. With 10 combined runs across the ninth and 10th innings and five total ties, both squads went deep into their bullpens.
 
Graduate centerfielder Brent Richey had himself a day, going 4-for-6 at the plate with a pair of two-run dingers, two doubles and five total RBI. Making his Blue and Gray debut, freshman designated hitter Ryan Kurth was impressive as he went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, a double and three RBI.
 
Despite Richey and Kurth's performances, South Atlantic Conference preseason favorite Catawba got six RBI from preseason All-SAC First Team first baseman Hunter Shepherd, who delivered in the 10th.
 
The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the opening inning with a pair of two-out RBI hits before LMU got a two-out RBI single up the middle from Kurth and an RBI double to right field from graduate catcher Dalton Dedas in the bottom of the frame. The Railsplitters would take a 4-2 lead in the second inning as a double to left field by graduate shortstop Zuriel Collins preceded Richey's first home run of the night, a blast over the left field wall.
 
After a scoreless third, Catawba got runs in the fourth and fifth frames to tie things up once again at four apiece. A leadoff hit-by-pitch, followed by a single and a flyout led to a fielder's choice RBI in the top of the fourth with centerfielder Bryce Butler reaching first and shortstop Jeremy Simpson scoring for the Indians. Catawba catcher Cameron Morrison sent a solo shot over the left field wall with two outs in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-4 game.
 
A second scoreless inning ensued before the visitors took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh. Shepherd's two RBI homer over right field put the Indians in front 6-4, but LMU would respond in the bottom of the inning. A leadoff Collins walk, and a stolen base led to an RBI from redshirt junior first baseman Brandon Parrott as Collins scored to get the Railsplitters within one at 6-5.
 
LMU had a big eighth inning with three hits and two runs putting the Railsplitters up 7-6. Dedas led things off with a single through the right side and freshman second baseman Tyler Boyd connected on an RBI double to left field. Following a base-advancing flyout to center field, Boyd was brought to home plate by Richey with a double to left field.
 
Catawba got three runs on three hits in the top of the ninth, retaking the lead on a Simpson two RBI double to left field after a Shepherd RBI single to left field. However, the 9-7 deficit for LMU would be short lived as redshirt junior left fielder Andrew Keene singled and Kurth knocked out a two-run ball over the left field wall in the bottom of the inning to force extras.
 
With only one out, bases loaded and the score tied at 9-9 in the top of the 10th, Shepherd rocked a hard-hit, three-run double to left field to give the Indians a promising 12-9 lead. Looking to rally once more in the bottom of the 10th, the Railsplitters led things off with Collins reaching on a Catawba fielding error. Moments later Richey blasted his second bomb of the night, a high-arching two-run shot over right field to get LMU back within a score at 12-11. However, the game quickly came to an end as Keene's deep fly ball to right field was fielded cleanly.
 
Collins scored three of the Railsplitters' runs and both Dedas and Keene finished 2-for-5.
 
Shepherd went 3-for-6 at the plate for the Indians, while Simpson was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored and Morrison 2-for-5 with two RBI, two runs and a walk.
 
Redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Alex Brewer got the starting nod and tossed the first five innings, posting three strikeouts before redshirt junior righty Beau Nichols threw two innings in relief with a strikeout. Redshirt sophomore right handers Evan Porter and Eli Wright, along with graduate right hander Kevin Norton, each spent an inning on the mound. Norton (0-1) took the loss but struck out three of seven batters faced.
 
Left hander Bryan Ketchie pitched the first four innings for Catawba, striking out three and allowing four earned runs. Righty Greg Brown allowed just one earned run and recorded two strikeouts in two and 2/3 innings of relief work. Getting the win, right hander Benn Gilks (1-0) tossed an inning as right-handed reliever Trent Montgomery earned the save facing three batters in the 10th and striking out one.
 
Up Next…
LMU is slated to host UVA Wise in non-conference action Tuesday at 4 p.m. before beginning SAC play next weekend at Anderson in South Carolina. Both of the Railsplitters' doubleheaders against the Trojans on Saturday, Feb. 20 and Sunday, Feb. 21 are scheduled to begin at 1 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 2021 season, including any schedule changes.