HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Lincoln Memorial University baseball team (8-13) finished the four-game series with Limestone (7-10) Sunday afternoon in a split with the Saints, following a late rally that came up just short in game three, and a Railsplitter offensive explosion that resulted in a ten-run victory in game four. 
 
Game 3 | Limestone 9, LMU 7
The Railsplitters momentum after Saturday's victory in game two carried over into Sunday afternoon's first contest almost immediately, as LMU jumped out to a 2-0 in the bottom of the first. First Baseman Brandon Parrott's single was fouled by a Tyler Adams double down the left field line, setting up Andrew Keene for an RBI groundout. Adams was then driven in by a Ryan Kurth rope to center, momentarily caught by Josh Evans, but was dropped by the centerfielder as he hit the deck.
 
Freshman DJ Alexander remained hot all-day Sunday afternoon, following his first collegiate homerun Saturday at Lamar Hennon Field. The Railsplitter left fielder opened up game three with a double into left-center gap. The Georgia native stole third moments later and was eventually driven in thanks to a dropped pop-fly by the Saints outfield. Alexander singled again in the fourth, driving in his first RBI of the day, stretching the Railsplitter lead out to 4-1. Alexander Jr. went 2-4 in game three with 1 RBI.
 
Red-shirt sophomore pitcher Patrick Queener returned to the hill Sunday, following a brief injury period. Queener was eased back into his competitive return, recording a solid outing, allowing zero runs and just two hits in three and a third innings.   
 
The tide turned in the top half of the fifth, as the Saints bats came alive, scoring five runs, as Limestone came up big with two separate two-run singles in the inning to take a 6-4 advantage. The lead grew in the following inning, as first baseman Ben Huber completed the eight-run swing with a homerun over the left-centerfield wall.
 
A late rally saw LMU narrow the Limestone lead, as Brandon Parrott and Tyler Adams reached base in the final inning, setting the stage for an Andrew Keene RBI single. An error by the Limestone infield drove in Adams, which was followed a sacrifice fly from Zach Fritts that scored Keene. LMU fell just two runs short in the seventh inning rally, dropping game three 9-7.
 
Game 4 | LMU 12, Limestone 2
The offensive sparks continued for the Railsplitters in a big fashion in game four, as LMU recorded the most runs in an inning this season in the bottom of the first and tied their overall season-high runs at 12.
 
The late rally that ultimately came up short in game three, quickly transferred momentum in the final game of the series, as LMU exploded for a season-high seven-run inning in the first. A Brandon Parrott single opened up the scoring in game four, driving in right fielder Brent Richey. In the ensuing at-bat, Tyler Adams came to the plate, just getting under a ball hit well to left field, that was enough for a sacrifice fly driving in redshirt-junior Brandon Parrott. Third Baseman Ryan Kurth singled into left field driving in Andrew Keene, before catcher Sam Mast capped off the opening inning with the offensive highlight of the day. The red-shirt freshman tripled to deep right-center field, driving in 3 RBI. Second baseman Tyler Boyd added on to the Limestone pitching struggles, notching a sacrifice fly to extend the lead out to 7-1. LMU forced the Saints starter out of the ball game before the first inning concluded.
 
The Railsplitter added on three more runs in the following two innings via a Zach Fritts sac-fly and a Tyler Adams two-run double. Redshirt Junior Beau Nichols produced another solid starting outing of the day for LMU, lasting six innings and only giving up two runs. The Nashville native matched a season-high striking out eight batters on the day.
 
As they were kept quiet on the offensive front in the following innings, the Railsplitters broke the silence in the bottom of the eighth, scoring two final runs to end the game in result of the ten-run deficit. Sam Mast continued his big offensive day, singling into left field and driving in DJ Alexander. Second baseman Tyler Boyd clinched the victory for LMU to split the series, with an RBI into right field.
 
Up Next…
The Railsplitters remain at home, resuming action next Saturday March 14 with a four-game series with the Tusculum Pioneers at Lamar Hennon Field.
 
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.