For immediate release – 3/12/2013 - #293

Early Offense Leads Hornets to 13-7 Victory over Methodist

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – The Lynchburg College baseball team drove in eight runs in the first two innings against Methodist University on its way to a 13-7 victory Tuesday in non-conference baseball action.

Senior Ashton Paige started off the game with a triple down the right field line where sophomore Lincoln Evans drove him in with a sacrifice fly. The Methodist starter, Chris Barger, managed to get senior Michael Kenah out in the next at bat, but the following six Hornets reached base. The offensive barrage allowed LC to bat around in the first, while taking a 5-0 lead.

Back-to-back singles by seniors Brock Shiflett and Dan Savage and a walk to junior Dustin Arrowood loaded the bases for Jay Kenyon. The sophomore, Kenyon, drove in Shiflett and Savage with a single to center before sophomore Rob Tomasulo was hit by a pitch to load the bases again.

Methodist went to the bullpen, but the change did not affect sophomore Wil Parsons, whose line drive single up the middle plated Kenyon and Arrowood for the five run advantage.

The Monarchs tried to rally in the bottom of the first for two runs, but the Hornet top of the second started with five straight hits.

The quintet of Evans, Kenah, Shiflett, Savage, and Arrowood all singled off Michael Judge, plating two runs in the process. Kenyon grounded into a fielder's choice to plate Shiflett in the form of the third run, giving Lynchburg an 8-2 lead in the second inning.

The first two LC hitters also reach in the fifth, setting up an RBI situation for Paige. The senior came through with a two-RBI single, extending the lead to eight.

Freshman Matt Matthews, making his second start of the year, picked up the win while going six innings of work and allowing two earned runs on three hits. Matthews worked around two walks and struck out three.

Methodist rallied one last time, getting the game to within three, 10-7, in the seventh inning, but junior Zac Patrick entered the contest and silenced the MU bats for his first save of the 2013 season.

Paige led the Hornets with a 4-for-6 day with three RBI while Kenyon added three RBI on two hits. Paige, Evans, Shiflett, Arrowood, and Kenyon each scored two runs for LC.

Steven Kirby, Brandon Thigpen, and Alex Rodriguez each had two hits for Methodist (8-13).

Lynchburg (9-7/2-2) returns home Wednesday for an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) matchup with Guilford College (8-8/1-3). First pitch for the Hornets' first home ODAC game of 2013 is set for 3 p.m.