HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Lincoln Memorial University baseball program overcame a slugfest in game two of the series with Kentucky Wesleyan to win a close game, 10-9, before a eight-run fifth inning of game three propelled the Railsplitters to a 10-1 win in the series finale.
Game 1 – Lincoln Memorial 10, Kentucky Wesleyan 9
The Panthers got things going early with a three-run home run by Richardson, but Lincoln Memorial's
Ryan Kurth answered back just moments later with a solo shot to left field.
Kasten Harvey singled in the next at bat, bringing home
Andrew Keene in the process to cut the KWC lead to one.
Kentucky Wesleyan extended their lead back to three on back-to-back solo home runs, but the Railsplitters continued to have an answer for every need. After a
Sam Mast single, he was able to advance to scoring position after a throwing error from the KWC right fielder, bringing home
Carson Boles. A passed ball on the KWC side allowed Keene to sneak home to cut the Panther lead to 5-4.
Kentucky Wesleyan got two more runs in the fifth, but a three-run shot to deep center field by
Cameron Powser sparked the Splitter bats to come alive. KWC recaptured the lead, 9-8, in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Kyle Werries. Lincoln Memorial looked to get runs in the seventh and got two runs to take a 10-9 lead.
The first run in the seventh came from a massive triple from redshirt freshman Colin Goda that brought in Powser. On the next batter,
Chris Hall singled to right field bringing in Goda.
The Splitters locked in on defense with
David Brian Ellison coming in during the top of the seventh and shutting down the bats of Kentucky Wesleyan. Brian Ellison picked up his first win of the season.
Game 2 – Lincoln Memorial 10, Kentucky Wesleyan 1
Alex Brewer got the starting nod on the mound in game three, pitching six complete innings, giving up just one run and striking out nine batters in the process.
Mason Turner got in the action as the Tampa, Fla. native recorded one scoreless inning of work striking out the side to give LMU the sweep over KWC.
The Railsplitters got things going in the first on just the second batter as
Cameron Bowen doubled to center field that brought in Hall. On the next at bat, Boles singled to right, bringing home Bowen in the process, giving LMU a 2-0 lead after one inning.
Both pitchers found their groove through the middle frames, until a one-out RBI single in the fifth by Braxton French cut the Splitter lead in half. Lincoln Memorial had different plans as a costly throwing error by the Panther catcher allowed Goda to reach and Powser to score.
A Bowen triple in the next at bat brought home
Austin Cole and Goda to further increase the Blue and Gray lead to 5-1.
The Railsplitter offense continued to shine in the fifth as a Boles single squeezed through the left side, giving Bowen enough time to slide into home.
Ryan Kurth just keeps doing what he does best as the sophomore from Winter Springs, Fla. blasted a two-run home run to deep center to increase the Splitter lead to 8-1.
Harvey got in the action as well as the newcomer recorded hist first home run of the season, giving the Railsplitters a 10-1 lead and the win over the Panthers.
Up Next
The Railsplitters will play in their first midweek contest of the season as they welcome Kentucky State to Lamar Hennon Field on Tuesday, February 15 with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch.
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 through the 2022 season.
