For immediate release – 4/18/2014 - #328
Hornets Post 12 Runs in Second Frame to Breeze Past SVU 16-3
LYNCHBURG, VA – Freshman KC Caldwell belted two home runs and the Lynchburg College baseball team scored 12 runs in the second inning to down Southern Virginia University 16-3 in non-conference action Friday afternoon.
The Hornets started off the bottom of the second inning with a single by Jake Tanner before a pair of errors put Joe Tomasulo on first and advanced Tanner to third. Following a strikeout, Knight starter Colin Bigelow walked Andrew Gauvain to load the bases for Caldwell.
Caldwell, getting his first start in center field, chopped a ball down the third base line where it stopped for an infield, RBI single that plated Tanner. Joe Rogers followed with a line shot that deflected off Bigelow and went into left field, scoring two more for a 3-0 Lynchburg lead. Rob Tomasulo made it 4-0 on a sacrifice fly before Pat Harris doubled in Rogers for a 5-0 advantage. That is when a crucial defensive miscue and two big blasts sprung the Hornets to a commanding lead.
Wil Parsons walked to put runners on first and second for Jake Tanner who launched a ball over the left-center field wall for his third homer of the season and an 8-0 lead. The blast also made him the first Hornet in 2014 to top the 30-RBI plateau.
After a walk to Joe Tomasulo, Joseph Knight flied a ball to left field with two outs, but the ball popped out of the leftfielder's glove to keep the game alive. Andrew Gauvain doubled down the left field line to clear the bases, bringing Caldwell back to the plate. The freshman, already with an RBI single in the second, sent a deep drive over the wall in left for his first career homer and a 12-0 Hornet advantage.
Trey Elder (1-0) kept the Southern Virginia offense at bay, limiting the Knights to four hits, only one for extra bases, while walking two and striking out two over seven scoreless frames.
Caldwell got another chance to add to the Hornet lead in the fourth when he waited on another breaking ball, sending it over the wall to the same spot as his first round-tripper.
Ryan Gabriel went 2-for-4 for Southern Virginia (5-24) while collected a pair of RBI and a run scored. Chris Madison entered in the fourth inning and struck out three, surrendering one unearned run on six hits in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
Caldwell finished the day 3-for-6 with three runs scored and six RBI. His two homer performance was the first by a Hornet this season. Rogers went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI while Seth Perry pitched a perfect ninth inning for Lynchburg.
Lynchburg (21-10/8-9) travels to Bridgewater College (24-8/12-4) for an Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader at noon. Lynchburg needs to win two of its final three games to clinch a spot in the ODAC tournament next Thursday.