Harrogate, TN - One week after taking one of three games on the road at Wingate, the Lincoln Memorial baseball team was back on its home field Friday, playing host to the ninth-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne Bears for a three-game conference series. Lincoln Memorial entered the series with a 17-13 overall record, including a 7-8 mark in conference play. Lenoir-Rhyne entered the game with a 25-4 overall record, including a 12-3 mark in conference.

Lincoln Memorial started strong, retiring Lenoir-Rhyne, leaving one runner stranded on base. In the bottom of the first inning, following a single from Chris Hall, Lincoln Memorial's all-time career home run leader, Kasten Harvey, did what he does best and connected on a first-pitch two-run long bomb to give the Railsplitters a 2-0 advantage after one inning. The second and third innings were a  pitcher's duel. Neither team added a hit or a run across the second or third innings, leaving Lincoln Memorial in control 2-0 heading into the fourth inning.

Lenoir-Rhyne managed its first hit of the game in the top of the fourth, however, was unable to capitalize, seeing the score remain 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Following a single and a pair of stolen bases from CJ Dugan, Brooks Hagedorn singled to drive in Dugan, extending the Railsplitters' lead to 3-0. Later in the inning, Trace Simmons singled, driving in Hagedorn, further extending the Lincoln Memorial lead to 4-0 heading into the fifth inning. The Bears fought back, doing enough damage in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4. The Railsplitters were unable to break the tie, leaving the game knotted 4-4 heading into the sixth inning. Lincoln Memorial sat down the first three batters of the sixth inning to take over on offense. A double from Kevin Fernandez and a single from Archer Wong-Shasteen allowed Hall to drive in a run by grounding into a double play, giving the Railsplitters a 5-4 advantage. The Bears limited the damage to one run, seeing the game spill into the seventh inning.

Lenoir-Rhyne once again knotted the game, 5-5, in the top of the seventh inning. Lincoln Memorial limited the scoring to just one run to leave the game tied heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Railsplitters were unable to find any offense in the bottom half of the inning, leaving the game tied, 5-5, heading into the eighth inning. In the top of the eighth inning, the Bears regained the lead behind two hits, taking a 6-5 advantage heading into the bottom of the eighth. The Railsplitters were unable to turn in any runs, seeing the game move into the final frame. Leading 6-5, Lenoir-Rhyne took the opportunity to extend its lead, adding two runs on two hits in the top of the ninth to take an 8-5 advantage into the bottom of the inning. Down to its last three outs, Lincoln Memorial had one last chance to claim victory. Harvey singled to get things rolling before Kowalski was hit-by-pitch, leaving the tying run in the batter's box. Sam Mast singled through the left side to drive in Harvey, cutting the deficit to 8-6 in the final frame. With two runners on base, down to their last out, the Railsplitters were unable to complete the comeback, seeing the Bears take the first game of the three-game series, 8-6.