Harrogate, TN -- Lincoln Memorial opened the 2026 season with a hard-fought 6-5 victory over Cedarville on Friday, using timely hitting and late pitching to secure the win in a back-and-forth contest.

The Railsplitters fell behind early after Cedarville scored an unearned run in the top of the first, but Lincoln Memorial answered immediately in the bottom half. Brooks Hagedorn led off with a single before Brady Morse delivered an RBI double to even the score. Peyton Mullannix followed with an RBI single to give LMU a 2-1 lead after one inning.

Lincoln Memorial added to its advantage in the third inning. Morse worked a walk and later scored on a Gabe Gray RBI single to left field. Gray and Mullannix then executed a double steal, setting up another run when Ronny Matti drove in Mullannix with a groundout, pushing the lead to 4-1.

After Cedarville cut into the margin in the fifth, the Railsplitters responded again in the bottom half. Gray tripled to right field and scored on another RBI groundout by Matti, extending the lead to 5-2.
The game shifted in the sixth inning when Cedarville tied the contest with three runs, including a two-run home run, making it 5-5. Lincoln Memorial answered once more in the bottom of the inning, as Morse doubled and came around to score on an RBI double from Alex Kowalski, giving the Railsplitters the decisive 6-5 lead.

Lincoln Memorial's pitching staff held strong down the stretch, allowing just one hit over the final three innings. The defense also came up with key plays, including cutting down a runner at the plate in the eighth inning and stranding two runners in the ninth to close out the win.

Offensively, Morse led the way with three doubles and three runs scored and an RBI, Kowalski added two doubles, while Gray finished with a triple, a single, and two RBIs. Matti also drove in two runs for the Railsplitters, and Mullannix recorded two hits in the season opener. Kowalski, Mullanix, Gray, and Ty Edds added a stolen base each.

Lincoln Memorial dropped the second game of its season-opening doubleheader to Cedarville, falling 8-3 on Friday afternoon despite several opportunities throughout the contest.
The Railsplitters found themselves in an early deficit, as Cedarville plated an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Lincoln Memorial responded in the second, when Gray reached on a single and later scored on a passed ball to even the score at 1-1.

Cedarville regained the lead in the fourth inning with a two-run single, pushing the margin to 3-1. The visitors added another run in the fifth on another passed ball, extending the lead to 4-1.

Lincoln Memorial continued to threaten but struggled to capitalize on its chances. In the sixth inning, Mullannix and Matti reached base, but the Railsplitters were unable to bring either runner home.
Cedarville broke the game open in the seventh with a three-run frame, highlighted by a triple and two RBI, stretching the advantage to 7-1, inevitably adding a final run for a total of 8.

The Railsplitters showed late fight in the final two innings. In the eighth, Kowalski doubled and scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by Mullannix to cut the deficit to 7-2. Lincoln Memorial added another run in the ninth when Morse drove in a run on a fielder's choice, but the rally fell short.

Gray finished with three hits, a stolen base, and a run scored, while Kowalski added a double and a run. Mullannix recorded an RBI, Jordan Caleb added a double, and Morse also drove in a run as Lincoln Memorial closed the doubleheader with a 1-1 split.