Harrogate, TN -- The Lincoln Memorial baseball team completed a dominant conference sweep over Tusculum University this weekend, securing a 6-3 victory on Sunday to finalize the three-game series at Lamar Hennon Field. The Railsplitters entered the series finale with significant momentum after sweeping Saturday's doubleheader, which featured a thrilling 10-9 win in 11 innings followed by a convincing 9-2 triumph in the nightcap. With Sunday's result, Lincoln Memorial moves forward with the confidence of a perfect weekend against their South Atlantic Conference rivals.
The Railsplitters broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning by capitalizing on a hit batter and consecutive singles from Ayden Jackson and Kevin Fernandez to load the bases. Gabe Gray delivered the first blow with a two-run single through the left side to bring home Ford Hallock and Jackson. Caleb Jordan and Brady Morse followed with back-to-back RBI groundouts to second base, pushing the Lincoln Memorial lead to 4-0. Tusculum attempted to chip away at the deficit, using a solo home run in the fourth and a run-scoring wild pitch in the fifth to cut the lead in half, but the Lincoln Memorial pitching staff remained composed to limit the damage.
In the bottom of the seventh, Gabe Gray extended the cushion by launching a solo home run to left field. The Railsplitters continued the pressure as Caleb Jordan singled and Brady Morse reached on a fielder's choice before stealing second base. Alex Kowalski then stepped to the plate and drove a double to right field to score Morse, providing Lincoln Memorial with a 6-2 advantage. Tusculum managed to add a final run in the eighth inning following a leadoff double and a sacrifice groundout, but they could get no closer as the Lincoln Memorial defense stood tall in the final frames.
Adrian Smith earned the win on the mound for the Railsplitters, improving his season record to 3-2 after tossing five solid innings. Smith allowed just three hits and two runs while striking out one and navigating through nineteen batters. Easton Barnett provided strong relief, pitching two and a third innings and allowing only one run, while Bradric Helton locked down the final five outs to secure the victory. Helton was particularly effective in the ninth inning, inducing a series of groundouts to strand two runners and end the game.
Offensively, the Railsplitters were led by Gabe Gray, who finished the day with two hits and three runs batted in. Ronny Matti was perfect at the plate, going three-for-three with two doubles, while Alex Kowalski added a hit and an RBI to the winning effort. Ayden Jackson and Kevin Fernandez each contributed a hit and a walk, ensuring the lineup remained a constant threat throughout the afternoon. Collectively, the Lincoln Memorial hitters combined for ten hits and showed discipline by drawing four walks to keep the pressure on the opposing pitching staff.
