For immediate release--2/23/2014--#213
Zac Patrick Has Career Day as Hornets Defeat York (Pa.) 8-1

LYNCHBURG, VA—Senior Zac Patrick threw his first career complete game Sunday afternoon as the Lynchburg College baseball team defeated York (Pa.) College, 8-1, at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

Spartan starter David Walker did a superb job the first time through a Hornets' lineup that was averaging 9.8 runs per game. Walker forced Lynchburg to put the ball in play while keeping his pitch count low. None of the nine Hornets got a hit the first time through against Walker as the only base runner, Jake Tanner, reached on an error by the third baseman to lead off the third inning.

Lynchburg made the Spartans pay for the error as two batters later Lincoln Evans doubled home Tanner with two outs.

The Evan's double was a sign that the second time through the lineup would be more favorable to the Hornets.  The four and five-hole hitters, Jay Kenyon and Wil Parsons, were both hit by pitches with one out to put a runner in scoring position for catcher Rob Tomasulo.

Rob Tomasulo doubled into the left-center field gap to score Kenyon, giving Lynchburg the 2-0 lead.

Patrick continued his beautiful start to the 2014 season by starting the game with four scoreless innings. Patrick worked very quickly on the mound for the Hornets, making York (Pa.) uncomfortable in the box to gain to upper hand.

The senior struck out five Spartans in the first four innings against two walks while surrendering three hits.

York (Pa.) got on the board in the fifth when J.J. Oleniacz reached and advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. A sacrifice bunt advanced Oleniacz to third where Brad Wenzel pulled a ball just over the first base bag for a run-scoring double.

The Hornets threatened in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and only one out, but Tyler Alexander induced a 5-2-3 double play to get out of the jam.

Lynchburg got the insurance runs it needed to support Patrick in the sixth when Rob Tomasulo was hit by a pitch and Jake Tanner walked with one out. York (Pa.) went to the bullpen again, bringing in Elliot Mortimer, but Joe Tomasulo muscled Mortimer's inside pitch out to right field to score his brother, Rob.

Evans added a fourth run for the Hornets when he smoked a grounder to shortstop. Wenzel came off first trying to catch the throw before Evans got there and that error allowed Tanner to race home.

Patrick finished off his first career complete game with a career-high seven strikeouts, allowing one unearned run on four hits while surrendering four walks.

Evans finished 3-for-5 for the Hornets with a run and two RBI while Joe Rogers added a pair of RBI, giving him 10 for the weekend.

Lynchburg (6-1) travels to Greensboro College (1-1) Tuesday for a 3 p.m. start in non-conference action.