For immediate release—3/15/2014-#253
Hornets Hold off Late Marlin Rally to Salvage DH Split
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA—After being stymied offensively in the first game, the Lynchburg College baseball team took a big lead and had to hold on late to split Saturday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader with Virginia Wesleyan College. The Hornets dropped game one, 6-2, before winning, 17-14, in game two.
Virginia Wesleyan struck for four runs in the first inning as four straight batters collected hits with one out.
The Marlins added two more in the third, taking a 6-0 lead, while holding the Hornets to just two hits through the first seven innings.
LC tried to rally in the eighth as Lincoln Evans and Joe Rogers singled off Marlin starter Alex Tucci. Rob Tomasulo followed with a single through the right side to plate Evans. Dustin Arrowood's sacrifice fly scored Rogers to cut the gap to 6-2.
Brandon Miller (3-3) went seven innings for the Hornets while surrendering six runs (five earned) on 16 hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Trevor Johnston pitched a perfect ninth.
Tucci (2-2) gave up two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts in eight innings on the mound.
Lynchburg took a 5-0 lead in game two in support of starting pitcher Zac Patrick (3-1). Wesleyan answered with three runs in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to two runs, but the Hornets tacked on three in the fourth, one in the fifth, and three in the sixth to pull away 12-3.
Jay Kenyon's second home run of the season, this time of the two-run variety, highlighted the mid-inning scoring run that saw the Hornets post seven hits while taking three walks.
It appeared that Lynchburg would sail through the final four innings for the doubleheader split thanks to the nine run lead, but Virginia Wesleyan would make the Hornets sweat first.
The Marlins sent 12 hitters to the plate in the sixth inning, seven of which got hits while one walked and another was hit by a pitch. The most important number was that Virginia Wesleyan posted seven runs to cut the Hornet lead to two, 12-10, while working through three Hornet pitchers.
Lynchburg added an insurance tally in the top of the eighth on a Drew Taylor sacrifice fly before three of the first four Marlins reached in the bottom of the inning.
With the bases loaded, Coach Percy Abell went to the bullpen to bring in Pat Harris. The junior surrendered a two-RBI single to Ty Boothe, but struck out the next two Marlins to send the game to the ninth 13-12.
Walks to Rogers and Arrowood sandwiched a Rob Tomasulo single to load the bases. Kenyon came through again with a double to center to score Rogers and Rob Tomasulo. A Jake Tanner single and Joe Tomasulo walk added the final two Hornet runs.
Harris withstood another Virginia Wesleyan run in the ninth inning for his first career save.
Joe Tomasulo went 4-for-4 with four RBI in game two while Kenyon went 3-for-5 with two doubles and the homer to go with his four RBI. Tanner went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI.
Boothe led Virginia Wesleyan (4-12/1-5) with a 4-for-5 showing in game two with three RBI.
Lynchburg (11-4/3-3) hosts Ferrum College (12-5) Wednesday at 3 p.m. for non-conference game.
The Hornets were supposed to play Guilford College (10-9/4-2) Sunday at 3 p.m., but that game has been postponed to a later date to be announced.