HARROGATE, Tenn. – Through four South Atlantic Conference doubleheaders thus far in 2021, the Lincoln Memorial University baseball team has posted four splits after going 1-1 against Mars Hill University Monday at Lamar Hennon Field. The Railsplitters (5-6, 4-4 SAC) completed their four-game home series with the Lions (4-5, 4-4) by claiming an 8-5 game one win before coming up just short in a lengthy 9-6 game two affair.
 
Behind 10 hits and a trio of home runs from freshman designated hitter Ryan Kurth, redshirt sophomore centerfielder Zach Fritts and redshirt junior first baseman Brandon Parrott, LMU took a 2-1 lead in the series. Despite outscoring Mars Hill 5-0 across the final four innings of the series finale Monday evening, the Railsplitters could not overcome a 9-1 deficit following five innings of play.
 
Game 1 | LMU 8, Mars Hill 5
LMU scored in every inning and got six strong innings on the mound from graduate right-handed starter Kevin Norton. Highlighted by Kurth's 2-for-2, two-RBI, two-run performance, the Railsplitters methodically built a six-run lead and held off the Lions in the top of the seventh.
 
A pair of walks and a LMU fielding error in the top of the opening inning allowed Mars Hill to take a 2-0 lead on an Austin Treadway two RBI double to left field. However, the Railsplitters responded in the bottom of the frame, getting an RBI walk from Kurth as Parrott scored after walking, stealing second base and advancing to third on an Andrew Keene hit by pitch. Graduate catcher Dalton Dedas then flied out to center field for a sacrifice to bring in graduate third baseman Tyler Adams.
 
With Norton settling in on the hill, Fritts led off the bottom of the second with a single up the middle. After a sacrifice bunt from graduate shortstop Zuriel Collins and a stolen bag, Fritts found himself at third base with only one out. Graduate right fielder Brent Richey would give LMU its first lead of the day at 3-2 with an RBI double to right field, scoring Fritts. In the third it was Kurth who increased the Railsplitters' advantage to 4-2 on a solo home run, his second of the season, over the left field wall.
 
Collins led off the fourth with a single through the left side before being brought home on a two-out RBI single to center field from graduate third baseman Tyler Adams. A leadoff double to right filed by Kurth in the bottom of the fifth set up Fritts for his first career homer, a well-hit two-run shot that cleared the right field wall.
 
The Railsplitters did even more damage in the bottom of the sixth when Parrott stepped to the plate and gave LMU an 8-2 lead with his first dinger of the year, rocking a solo shot over right field.
 
A two-hit, three-run rally with two outs in the top of the seventh got the Lions within three but a line out to center field quickly ended the game. Beginning with a walk, Mars Hill got a single from second baseman Treadway followed by an Austin Purser single to load the bases. An RBI walk made it 8-3 before a second Railsplitter fielding error scored Treadway and Purser in unearned fashion.
 
Fritts finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored, while Adams went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run and a walk. The Lions' Treadway was 2-for-3 at the dish with two RBI, a run scored and a walk.
 
Norton (1-2) fanned a career-high eight and earned his first win of 2021. Right-hander Hunter Burnette (0-1) took the loss on the mound after tossing the first three and 2/3 innings and giving up five earned runs with only one strikeout.
 
Game 2 | Mars Hill 9, LMU 6
Taking a 2-1 lead in the second inning, Mars Hill erupted for five runs on five hits and two LMU throwing errors in the top of the fourth. Two more Lion runs in the top of the fifth gave the visitors a commanding 9-1 advantage and proved to be too much for the Railsplitters to overcome, despite a three-run sixth and two-run ninth.
 
Mars Hill scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by third baseman Tyler Lala in the first inning before LMU knotted things up in the bottom of the frame. Richey led off with a single to center field and stole second base, setting up Adams for an RBI groundout.
 
A leadoff double to right field by Lion left fielder Kameron Reynolds in the second preceded a pair of walks, sacrifice bunt and Railsplitter error, which allowed Reynolds to score an unearned run. With LMU unable to get much going in the bottom of the second, third and fourth frames, Mars Hill grabbed all the momentum in the top of the fourth. Leading off with a single up the middle, the Lions got two runs on a two-out double to left field from catcher Trevor Bailey. Following a hit by pitch and Treadway single, Reynolds singled for an RBI as the bases were cleared with a throwing error on the play.
 
Leading 7-1, Mars Hill tacked on two more runs in the fifth with a one-out Lala two RBI double down the left field line. After getting two hits in the bottom of the fifth but leaving the bases loaded, the Railsplitters scored three in the sixth. Dedas doubled to center field for an RBI before Fritts was walked with bases loaded. Collins then grounded out for an RBI to score Dedas, making it 9-4.
 
Following two scoreless innings, LMU attempted a ninth-inning rally. Collins led off the frame with a hit by pitch and advanced to second on a passed ball before freshman pinch hitter DJ Alexander, Jr. was walked with two outs. Redshirt junior left fielder Andrew Keene singled to left field for an RBI and Alexander scored on a passed ball to get the Railsplitters within three at 9-6, but a groundout ended the contest.
 
Richey finished the game 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored. The Lions' Lala went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run, while Reynolds went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored as Bailey and Treadway were both 2-for-5.
 
Redshirt junior right-hander Beau Nichols (0-1) went four and 1/3 innings on the rubber, striking out three in the loss. Right-handed relievers Ryan Franklin, David Brian Ellison, Mason Turner and Eli Wright were outstanding, not allowing a run in four and 2/3 combined innings of work. Redshirt juniors Franklin and Turner and redshirt sophomore Wright didn't give up a hit as redshirt freshman Ellison struck out four. Turner struck out the side in order in the eighth.
 
Right-handed starter Sam Kaplan (1-0) got the win after pitching six complete with six strikeouts.
 
Up Next…
LMU begins a six-game road trip Wednesday afternoon at Lenoir-Rhyne for a midweek non-conference tilt at 4 p.m. This weekend, the Railsplitters travel to Wingate, North Carolina, for a four-game set with the Bulldogs Saturday and Sunday, March 6-7. First pitch from Ron Christopher Stadium is slated for 1 p.m. for both doubleheaders.  
 
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.