For immediate release – 2/15/2014 - #199
Lynchburg Stays Perfect Early in 2014 with a Sweep of Methodist Diamond Invite

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – The Lynchburg College baseball team picked up a pair of wins against two teams picked to finish at the top of their respective conferences on Saturday. LC downed Christopher Newport University 10-3 in game one before coming back to defeat 2013 NCAA tournament participant, Methodist University, 4-3 in game two.

Lynchburg carried over the timely hitting from last week, taking advantage of an error in the second inning to score four runs against Christopher Newport.

Wil Parsons singled through the left side off Bryan Bierlein to start the second. Lincoln Evans reached on a costly error while trying to bunt Parsons to second, putting two runners on. Following a wild pitch, Joe Rogers singled in Parsons. Joseph Knight scored Evans on a sacrifice fly before Drew Taylor drove in Rogers for his team-leading fifth RBI of the season. Joe Tomasulo singled in Taylor for the early 4-0 lead.

The large lead was big for the Hornets as the Captains' ace, Bierlein, posted a 1.99 ERA last season.

Martin Henderlite returned to 2013 form, allowing one run on six hits while striking out seven and walking just two in five innings of work.

Brandon Miller entered to pitch the final four innings to pick up his second save for Lynchburg. The Hornets added three runs in the seventh, due in large part to a two-RBI triple by Dustin Arrowood. LC then collected three more tallies in the eighth for the final score.

Lynchburg rode the momentum into game two against a fresh Methodist squad. Due to the snow-induced changes to the Methodist Diamond Invitational, LC got the rare opportunity for a doubleheader against two separate teams.

The Hornets went up 1-0 in the first when Pat Harris singled through a hole on the right side to score Joe Tomasulo. The younger Tomasulo singled earlier in the inning and made it to third on an error.

Zac Patrick worked exceptionally well for the Hornets in his first start of the season. Methodist managed a run off the senior in the second after Matt Jack walked and moved to second on a groundout before stealing third. Patrick struck out Tyler Hardee but the pitch got away, allowing Jack to score the tying run.

After allowing the go-ahead run in the fourth, Evans reached second via an error to lead off the sixth. Rogers singled up the middle to score Evans before advancing to third on an Arrowood single to right field. A pair of wild pitches scored Rogers and moved Arrowood to third where Jake Tanner's sacrifice fly brought the score to 4-2.

Patrick went six innings for the Hornets, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Arrowood went 3-for-4 on the day with an RBI and run scored.

Colton Steber pitched the final three innings to get the save for LC, despite allowing his first run of the season in the ninth frame.

Methodist (2-1) starter Rett Lee worked five innings of six-hit ball, striking out seven, walking one, and allowing three unearned runs.

Lynchburg (4-0) will play Stevenson University (0-0) Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the home opener for the Hornets.