Harrogate, TN - Three days after exacting its revenge on Lee University at home, the Lincoln Memorial baseball team was back in action on Friday against Emory & Henry for the first game of a three game weekend conference series. It will be the only conference series that the Railsplitters play across a stretch of nine straight home games which began with Lee at home on Tuesday. Lincoln Memorial swept Emory & Henry last season, outscoring the Wasps by a combined score of 30-14. The Railsplitters entered the series 10-9 overall on the season with a 4-5 mark in conference play and are 6-2 at home this season. Emory & Henry enters the series 3-15 on the season with a 1-8 mark in conference play.

Eli Edds and the Lincoln Memorial defense put on a show through the first six innings of Friday's game. Through 6.0 IP, Edds only allowed two hits, two runs, and two earned runs with three walks and eight strikeouts. He also forced one fly out and two ground outs. Both defenses held strong through six innings, with neither allowing a run until the seventh inning. Emory & Henry struck first, scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 4-0 lead.

Alex Kowalski got the scoring started for the Railsplitters in the bottom of the seventh, connecting on a solo missile to cut into the lead, 4-1. Following a single by CJ Dugan, Brooks Hagedorn added to the Lincoln Memorial run total driving in Dugan with a double to left field. Later in the inning, Chris Hall grounded out to shortstop, advancing Hagedorn to third base. Kasten Harvey subsequently walked and stole second base. Austin Epperson walked on the following at-bat to load the bases. Joey LaMattina stepped into the box and wore the next pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Hagedorn to take home. Trace Simmons then connected on a single to left field, driving in Harvey and Epperson to give the Railsplitters a 5-4 lead.

Emory & Henry added a run in the top of the eighth inning, tying the game 5-5. The Wasps held the Railsplitters off the board in the bottom of the eighth inning and were seeking to take the lead. However, the Lincoln Memorial defense stood tall, keeping the score knotted at 5-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth with Hall, Harvey, and Epperson due up. After Hall flew out to right field, Harvey stepped into the box and connected on a solo shot walk-off home run, seeing the Railsplitters improve to 11-9 on the season with a 5-5 mark in conference play.
Games two and three will be played on Saturday, with game two beginning at 1 PM.