NEWBERRY, S.C. – A pair of tightly contested Lincoln Memorial University baseball road contests went the way of Newberry College Sunday afternoon at the Smith Road Complex in Newberry, South Carolina. Closing out the four-game South Atlantic Conference set, the Railsplitters were edged 3-1 in game one of the weekend's second doubleheader before dropping a 7-6 decision in 10 innings.
 
LMU (11-24, 8-20 SAC) lined 13 combined hits across the doubleheader but for the second consecutive day, the host Wolves (18-11, 15-7 SAC) scored timely runs. Newberry broke a 1-1 tie in the seven-inning afternoon opener with a sixth-inning two-run shot before tallying 12 hits in the series finale, which was won in walk-off fashion on a Railsplitter fielding error.
 
Game 1 | Newberry 3, LMU 1
Both teams recorded only five hits and got complete games from their starting pitchers with the Wolves' two-run homer from right fielder Jack Harris proving to be the difference.
 
Following two-and-a-half scoreless innings, Newberry scored the day's first run when first baseman Luke Orr knocked a two-out RBI single through the right side in the bottom of the third. LMU would respond in the top of the fourth, tying things up with an RBI single to center field from redshirt freshman catcher Sam Mast.
 
In the top of the sixth the Railsplitters loaded the bases but couldn't drive anybody in. Singles from graduate third baseman Tyler Adams and redshirt sophomore second baseman Walker Hennon preceded a Mast walk, but a routine fielder's choice play ended the frame.
 
The Wolves got a leadoff single from second baseman Dalton Lansdowne in the bottom of the sixth before Harris took the first pitch of his two-out at bat over the left field wall, giving Newberry a 3-1 lead it would not relinquish. Graduate shortstop Zuriel Collins was walked with one out in the top of the seventh but a fielder's choice out and a groundout brought an end to the seven-inning outing.

Both Mast and Hennon went 2-for-2 at the plate, while the Wolves' Harris was 1-for-3 with his two RBI and run scored. Newberry catcher Ian Clements turned in a 1-for-2, one-run performance and Lansdowne went 1-for-1 with a run.
 
Redshirt junior right-hander Bryce Woody (0-1) secured his first decision donning the Blue and Gray, striking out two and walking just one in six complete.
 
Left-handed hurler Matthew Campbell (4-2) notched a complete game win on the hill, striking out three and not allowing an earned run in the full seven innings.
 
Game 2 | Newberry 7, LMU 6 (10 innings)
After falling behind 4-0 in the third inning, LMU scored six runs between the fifth and seventh frames to take a 6-5 lead through seven. The Wolves got an RBI triple from third baseman Aidan Baur in the eighth to tie things at 6-6 and then won it on an unearned run in the extra inning.
 
Newberry's pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts and the Wolves overcame 13 stranded base runners.
 
The Railsplitters were held to just one hit in the first four innings as a three-hit bottom third inning yielded four Newberry runs. Harris singled through the left side for an RBI before designated hitter Zachary Bailes scored on a passed ball and an RBI groundout by Baur made it 3-0. Left fielder Nick Butler stretched the Wolves' lead to four with a two-out RBI single to left field.
 
A four-hit, three-run top of the fifth got LMU back within a run thanks to RBI singles from graduate right fielder Brent Richey and Adams. Richey connected on a two-out RBI single to the shortstop before Adams rocked a two RBI single to right center field off a 1-0 pitch. However, Newberry added another run in the bottom of the inning with catcher Kenny Bergmann doubling down the left field line with two outs to make it 5-3.
 
Mast led off the sixth with a walk and moments later redshirt sophomore first baseman Scooter Ray stepped to the plate and blasted his first homer of the season on a one-out, 1-2 pitch. His fifth dinger of his career, Ray's two-run shot cleared the left field wall to knot the score at five apiece.
 
Two walks, a Richey sacrifice bunt and a passed ball set up the Railsplitters' go-ahead run in the top of the seventh. Redshirt sophomore centerfielder Andrew Keene put LMU up 6-5 when he tattooed a one-out RBI single to right center field, bringing home Collins. From there, the Railsplitters would get only one more hit as the Wolves tied things once more in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Harris singled up the middle with two outs and then stole second base, allowing Baur to triple to right center field on a 1-1 pitch for the game-tying RBI.
 
Despite not collecting a hit, LMU loaded the bases in the ninth with a hit by pitch and a pair of walks. However, a grounder to third base led to a fielder's choice out that canceled any chances of scoring. Newberry got runners in the corners with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before a flyout forced extra baseball.
 
Ray led off the 10th with a single to center field but the Railsplitters couldn't get anybody else on. The Wolves' Orr doubled down the left field line to leadoff the bottom of the 10th and Harris got ahold of a 1-0 pitch that bounced into the outfield off an error, scoring Orr for the game-winning run.
 
Ray finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored, while Orr went 2-for-5 with two runs for Newberry. Harris, Baur and Bergmann each claimed two hits for the Wolves.
 
Redshirt junior right-handed starter Beau Nichols struck out four in five innings before graduate righty reliever Kevin Norton fanned one in an inning of one-hit ball. Redshirt junior right-hander Mason Turner struck out one and allowed just two hits in two innings of relief. Redshirt sophomore Eli Wright (0-2) took the loss on the rubber after throwing the final inning.
 
Newberry right-handed starter Josh Stempihar went four innings on the mound and struck out just one before right-hander Devin Makovsky punched out three in two innings of relief work. Lefty Bryce Peterson improved to 2-0, picking up the win after striking out five across the closing three and 2/3 innings.
 
Up Next…
LMU wraps up the regular season next weekend at Lamar Hennon Field when the Railsplitters host Queens University of Charlotte Saturday and Sunday, April 17-18. Saturday will see a 4 p.m. seven-inning series opener followed by a 7 p.m. nine-inning nightcap, while Sunday's seven/nine-inning doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.   
 
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.