WINGATE, N.C. – Lining 12 hits in the series opener, the Lincoln Memorial University baseball team claimed a 9-4 win in game one of Saturday afternoon's doubleheader at Ron Christopher Stadium in Wingate, North Carolina. Splitting the South Atlantic Conference twin-bill, the Railsplitters (6-8, 5-5 SAC) got strong pitching in both contests but a pair of two-run home runs gave the host Bulldogs (7-5, 5-5 SAC ) a 4-2 game two victory.
 
Redshirt sophomore right-hander Evan Porter collected LMU's first complete game win of the season on the hill in the four-game set opener before redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher Alex Brewer tossed six innings of scoreless ball in game two of the day.
 
Despite being held to 10 combined hits in the doubleheader, all three of Wingate's extra-base knocks were homers.  
 
Game 1 | LMU 9, Wingate 4
A three-run opening inning set the tone for the visiting Railsplitters, who also scored three runs in the fourth and tacked on a pair of scores in the seventh and final inning. Backed by Porter's six strikeouts, LMU got dingers from redshirt junior left fielder Andrew Keene and graduate right fielder Brent Richey.
 
Richey began his day with a walk and an RBI single through the left side by graduate third baseman Tyler Adams put the Railsplitters up 1-0 early. Keene then stepped to the plate and rocked the second pitch of his at bat over the left field wall to make it a 3-0 game.
 
In the top of the second, Richey led off with a solo shot over the right center field wall before the Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the inning. Getting two hits in the frame and aided by a LMU fielding error, Wingate scored its first run off an RBI single from centerfielder Andrew Motsinger. The Bulldogs got within two at 4-2 in the bottom of the third when first baseman Hunter Dula connected on a one-out, 1-1 pitch and drove it over right field.
 
Another big inning for the Railsplitters in the fourth led to a trio of runs on three hits. Graduate shortstop Zuriel Collins led things off with a double to left field before Richey was hit by a pitch and Adams tattooed an RBI double to right field for Collins to score. Keene grounded out for Richey to reach home and freshman designated hitter Ryan Kurth brought in Adams on an RBI single to center field, making it 7-2.
 
Wingate tried to get back in the game in the bottom of the fourth with two runs on two hits. Second baseman McCann Mellett flied out for a sacrifice RBI and Dula hit an RBI single to second base, brining the score to 7-4.
 
Two scoreless innings ensued prior to an eventful seventh for LMU. Back-to-back walks began the top half of the inning with graduate catcher Dalton Dedas and redshirt sophomore centerfielder Zach Fritts getting on board. Freshman pinch hitter Tyler Boyd then reached on a fielder's choice and moments later, Collins laid down a sacrifice bunt. Richey was walked to load the bases before redshirt junior first baseman Brandon Parrott singled to left center field for two RBI, brining home Dedas and Boyd for the Railsplitters' last two runs of the game.
 
Porter retired seven batters in order to close out the complete game win and improve to 3-0 on the season.
 
Adams finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored, while Keene went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run. Parrott was 2-for-5 with two RBI.
 
Dula earned two RBI for the Bulldogs on a 2-for-4 performance at the dish and both designated hitter Brett Adams and Motsinger went 2-for-3.
 
Right-handed starter David Nash (2-2) took the loss on the mound after throwing three innings with three strikeouts, three walks, two hit-by-pitches, a wild pitch and six earned runs allowed.
 
Game 2 | Wingate 4, LMU 2
Brewer gave up just one hit through the first six innings and LMU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth. However, Wingate's four-run bottom seventh inning on two homers was the difference.
 
Holding the Bulldogs hitless through the first four frames, the Railsplitters got their first hit of the game in the top of the second on a Dedas single through the left side. With offense at a premium and only eight combined hits across the eight-and-a-half innings, LMU scored a pair of runs on two hits and a Wingate fielding error in the fifth. Dedas doubled to right field following a Kurth hit by pitch before second baseman Boyd earned a sacrifice fly on a lineout to left field. The Railsplitters went up by two runs on a Richey RBI single through the left side with two outs after Collins reached on the Bulldog error.
 
Wingate got its first hit of the contest with a leadoff bunt single in the bottom of the fifth. Following a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh, Bulldog left fielder Cameron Carraway lifted a 2-1 pitch over the right center field wall to tie up the score at 2-2. A hit by pitch and sacrifice bunt preceded another two RBI shot as third baseman Michael Dansky took the first pitch he saw down the right field line and out of the stadium, making it a 4-2 affair.
 
A Parrott one-out double down the right field line followed by an Adams base-advancing groundout in the top of the eighth would be the only chance LMU would have for the remainder of the day.
 
Dedas went 2-for-3 at the plate for the game with a run scored. Brewer (0-3) took the loss after going six and 1/3 innings and striking out four with two hits and three earned runs allowed. Redshirt junior right-handers Mason Turner and Ryan Franklin threw in relief as Franklin tossed a full inning with one strikeout.
 
Carraway finished 2-for-4 for Wingate with two RBI and a run scored. Right-handed starter Mac Callari went six and 2/3 innings, striking out six and allowing three hits and an earned run, before righty reliever Brody McCullough (1-1) got the win with five strikeouts and only one hit allowed in two and 1/3 innings of work.
 
Up Next…
The Railsplitters take on the Bulldogs in another doubleheader Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Ron Christopher Stadium is once again scheduled for 1 p.m. Next week, LMU wraps up a six-game road trip by traveling to Salisbury, North Carolina, to face national power Catawba College in non-conference action Wednesday, March 10 at 4 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.