HARROGATE TN - Following a pair of decisive non-conference victories the Lincoln Memorial University baseball team is set to open South Atlantic Conference play this weekend as they host rival Carson-Newman at Lamar Hennon Field. The three game series kicks off with a single game on Friday February 13 with first pitch scheduled for 4 PM. The Railsplitters and Eagles will return to the diamond on Saturday February 14 for a doubleheader. Game two of the series is slated for 1 PM with the series finale to follow at approximately 4 PM.
Lincoln Memorial enters the weekend with the wind at their back having secured two consecutive wins including a dominant 12-2 run-rule victory over Bluefield State on Tuesday. The Railsplitters are looking to parlay that recent success into a strong start against a Carson-Newman squad that comes into the series with an unblemished record.
The LMU lineup has shown significant depth early in the season boasting four regular starters batting over .360. Nick Kaelin has been a spark in limited action hitting .500 with a 1.417 OPS while Gabe Gray and Brady Morse lead the everyday starters with identical .375 averages. Morse leads the team with eight RBI through eight games providing a consistent threat in the heart of the order. Other key contributors include Ronny Matti who is hitting .368 with five RBI and Caleb Jordan who maintains a .367 average with 11 hits on the season.
On the hill, the Railsplitters have relied on the steady hand of Lucas Smith who maintains a team-low 1.93 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP over nine and one third innings of work. Payton Armour has provided stability in his two starts posting a 3.46 ERA over 13 innings while Adrian Smith enters the weekend with momentum after a 10-strikeout performance in his last outing. The LMU pitching staff has combined for 59 strikeouts over 69 innings and will look to challenge an Eagle offense that has shown high scoring capability in their opening stretch.
Live video and stat links:
Watch: Railsplitters v. Eagles (Game one)
Watch: Railsplitters v. Eagles (Games two and three)
Live stats: Railsplitters v. Eagles (Game one)
Live stats: Railsplitters v. Eagles (Game two)
Live stats: Railsplitters v. Eagles (Game three)
