NEWBERRY, S.C. – Limited to four runs on the day, the Lincoln Memorial University baseball team suffered a pair of South Atlantic Conference road losses Saturday afternoon to Newberry College at the Smith Road Complex in Newberry, South Carolina. Despite outhitting the host Wolves (16-11, 13-7 SAC) 15-14 in the doubleheader, the visiting Railsplitters (11-22, 8-18 SAC) struggled to reach home plate and left a combined 13 base runners stranded.
 
A total of 16 strikeouts, eight in each contest, were issued by Newberry's pitchers and the Wolves scored timely runs in a 6-3 seven-inning series opening win and 4-1 game two victory.
 
LMU held a two-run lead in the first outing of the four-game weekend set but five Newberry runs scored across three innings took away the Railsplitters' hopes of a series opening triumph. It took five and 2/3 innings in game two before LMU was able to get on the board as the Wolves controlled the matchup with an impressive complete game performance on the mound from left-hander Joe LaFiora.
 
Game 1 | Newberry 6, LMU 3
A run in the bottom of the third inning gave the home team a 1-0 lead before the Railsplitters went up 3-1 in the top of the fourth off the bats of redshirt sophomore outfielders Andrew Keene and Zach Fritts. After Newberry knotted things up in the bottom of the fourth, the Wolves scored a trio of runs between the fifth and sixth frames and held off LMU for the win.
 
The first two-and-a-half innings saw just three combined hits before Newberry broke the 0-0 tie with a sacrifice flyout to right field from right fielder Jack Harris.
 
A leadoff single by graduate right fielder Brent Richey began the fourth inning and the Railsplitters got a one-out double to right field from redshirt junior first baseman Brandon Parrott. LMU connected on back-to-back doubles when centerfielder Keene sent a 2-2 pitch into the outfield for both Richey and Parrott to tag home. Moments later, left fielder Fritts rocked an RBI single to left center field for Keene to score and give the Railsplitters their third run of the afternoon.
 
Responding in the bottom half of the fourth, the Wolves scored on an RBI sacrifice bunt by catcher Ian Clements and tied things at three-all on a two-out RBI single to left center field by second baseman Dalton Lansdowne.
 
Richey would reach on a Newberry error in the top of the fifth and make his two second base, but LMU was unable to get anything else going in the frame. Retaking the lead, the Wolves led off the bottom of the inning with a triple and converted on the very next at bat when Harris singled to center field for an RBI.
 
The Railsplitters abandoned two on the base paths in the top of the sixth after lining a pair of hits. A leadoff single to left center field by Keene was followed with a single to left field by redshirt freshman catcher Sam Mast. However, Keene was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice after a sacrifice bunt and a groundout thwarted any other chances of LMU driving in a game-tying run.
 
Two more Newberry hits in the bottom of the sixth yielded the final two runs of the game. Lansdowne notched his second RBI single of the day with one out before a double steal and a two-out failed pickoff attempt allowed centerfielder Zane Tarrance to reach home. Graduate third-basemen Tyler Adams tattooed a two-out single to center field in the top of the seventh but that would be it for the Railsplitters, making the seven-inning affair go final.
 
Both Keene and Adams went 2-for-4 at the dish, while the Wolves' Lansdowne was 3-for-3 with his two RBI and a run scored and Harris 2-for-3 with two RBI.
 
Redshirt sophomore right-handed hurler Evan Porter (3-4) tossed five and 1/3 innings, taking the loss after giving up five earned runs. Redshirt junior right-hander Ryan Franklin struck out one in 2/3 innings of relief on the rubber.
 
After Newberry right-handed starter Tomas Sorcia, Jr. exited following just 2/3 innings, right-handed reliever Jonathan White struck out five in three innings. Righty Christopher Osment earned the win on the mound, improving to 2-0 on the season with two strikeouts and only three hits allowed in three and 1/3 innings.
 
Game 2 | Newberry 4, LMU 1
Taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, the Wolves rode the arm of LaFiora and scored twice more in the fifth before tacking on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Starting the game hot at the plate, LMU nearly scored in the opening inning before being held hitless for the ensuing four innings. Richey smacked a one-out double to center field in the top of the first before Adams singled. Keene then reached on a fielder's choice, but Richey was thrown out at home plate before LaFiora's first strikeout of the afternoon ended the frame.
 
Newberry's first-inning run came on a sacrifice fly to center field off the bat of third baseman Aidan Baur. Settling in after the opening inning, redshirt sophomore right-handed starter Patrick Queener nearly retired the Wolves' lineup in order. He walked just one of Newberry's next 10 batters before the Wolves got a hit in the bottom of the fifth, pushing their lead to 3-0 when both catcher Rhett Jolly and Lansdowne scored on wild pitches.
 
Lining a trio of hits in the top of the sixth, the Railsplitters scored on a Fritts two-out RBI single to left field. Queener gave up just one hit between the sixth and seventh frames but LaFiora retired six in order across the seventh and eighth innings.
 
The hosts' last run of the day came in the bottom of the eighth when first baseman Luke Orr tripled to left center field and Harris recorded his second sacrifice fly to right field of the doubleheader. A Keene leadoff single was the only offense LMU was able to produce in the top of the ninth.
 
Both Richey and Adams went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Newberry's Orr finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
 
Queener (0-3) punched out two, taking the loss after throwing seven complete. Redshirt junior right-handed reliever Mason Turner came in for the eighth inning and closed out the game on the hill.
 
LaFiora (2-1) fanned eight in the nine innings for the complete game win, giving up six hits and only one earned run.
 
Up Next…
The Railsplitters will return to the Smith Road Complex Sunday afternoon for the second road doubleheader of the weekend. Looking to halt a six-game slide and split the series with the Wolves, LMU will see a 1 p.m. game one first pitch. The two teams will once again play a seven-inning opener followed by a nine-inning series finale.
 
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.