Wise, VA – One week after taking game three against Limestone at home to claim the conference opening series, the Lincoln Memorial baseball team was on the road at UVA-Wise for a double-header Sunday following a shift in schedule that saw the series move from Friday/Saturday to Sunday/Monday. The Railsplitters entered game one with a record of 6-5 overall, with a 2-1 mark in conference play. UVA-Wise started game one with a 12-2 overall record, including a 2-1 mark in conference play.

The bats were popping in game one for Lincoln Memorial. Shortstop Kasten Harvey cranked out three long bombs in five plate appearances, driving in five runs. Sam Mast connected on a two-run bomb as well. Eli Edds pitched a 7.0 inning game, allowing nine hits, two runs and two earned runs, with three walks and six strikeouts. He forced two fly-outs and 10 ground-outs. The Railsplitters' defense turned three double plays during the game.
After failing to add a run to the board in the top of the first inning, Lincoln Memorial took over on offense, turning its first double play of the game to work the game into the top of the second inning. This is when the fun began for the Railsplitters. Joey LaMattina connected on a single to get things started in the second inning. CJ Dugan followed with a single of his own to leave two Lincoln Memorial runners on base. Archer Wong-Shasteen kept the hot streak going with a single to load the bases. Chris Hall was walked on the ensuing at-bat, walking in a run. Brooks Hagedorn then connected on the first double of the day for the Railsplitters, driving in three runs, giving Lincoln Memorial a 4-0 advantage. With Hagedorn on base, Kasten Harvey blasted a two-run shot to left field to extend the Lincoln Memorial lead to 6-0. The Cavaliers added one run in the bottom of the inning, accounting for half of their run total for the game, leaving the score at 6-1 heading into the third inning.

The Railsplitters continued their offensive success into the third inning. With Dugan on second following a steal, Hall doubled to left field to bring Dugan home, bringing the score to 7-1. Hagedorn drove in another run, his fourth of the game, bringing Hall home on a single to center. Following an error from UVA-Wise, Hagedorn was able to round home to extend the Lincoln Memorial lead to a substantial 9-1. The Cavaliers were unable to score in the third inning but held the Railsplitters scoreless in the top of the fourth, then added a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the score to 9-2.

It would become apparent that Lincoln Memorial had more in the tank in the top of the fifth inning. With Hagedorn on base following a walk, Harvey delivered his second home run of the game; a two-run shot that gave the Railsplitters an 11-2 lead. Alex Kowalski then reached base on an error, allowing Sam Mast to match Harvey with a two-run blast to left field, ballooning the score to 13-2. Lincoln Memorial scored its final run in the top of the seventh inning. Leading off in the seventh, Harvey blasted his third home run of the game, seeing the score reach its final total, 14-2, by run rule.
With the game one run-rule victory, Lincoln Memorial improved to 7-5 on the season with a 3-1 mark in conference play.

Game two was played at a much slower pace. Jack Santi got the start from the bump, going for 4.2 IP, allowing seven hits, two runs, and two earned runs with one walk and seven strikeouts. Dylan Maire pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing four hits, three runs, and three earned with zero walks and seven strikeouts.

UVA-Wise struck first with a run in the bottom of the first after holding Lincoln Memorial scoreless in the top of the inning, taking a 1-0 lead into the second inning. In the top of the second, Chris Hall delivered a double to drive in Joey LaMattina and knot the score at 1-1. Each team posted goose eggs in the third and fourth inning, seeing the game remain tied at 1-1 until the Cavaliers regained the lead on a home run in the fifth inning, 2-1. However, Kasten Harvey did what he had been doing all day and blasted his first home run of the game, fourth of the day, tying the game 2-2 in the top of the sixth.

With neither team able to add to the run total for the remainder of the sixth or seventh inning, the game went into extras in the eighth inning (scheduled seven inning game). In the top of the eighth, Sam Mast delivered a single to left field, driving in Hall to give Lincoln Memorial a 3-2 advantage. UVA-Wise took over on offense, found itself with two runners on base, and connected on a walk-off home run to claim game two. With the loss in game two, Lincoln Memorial moved to 7-6 on the season with a 3-2 mark in conference play.

The Railsplitters and Cavaliers will play the rubber match on Monday with first pitch slated for 4 PM.