Birmingham, Ala. -- University of Lynchburg baseball opened the season with a bang taking down No. 15 Trinity (Tex.), 4-3, Friday evening.
The reigning Old Dominion Athletic Conference pitcher of the year Brandon Pond took the mound for the Hornets and turned in a gem. He pitched six perfect innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts. Beginning in the bottom of the third, Pond fanned six batters in a row.
Lynchburg got on the board first in the top of the fourth. Jackson Harding, Holden Fiedler, and Carrson Atkins all walked with two outs. Cameron Lane came up with the bases loaded and drove in two runs with a single to center.
PJ Alvanos extended the lead in the seventh by driving in Gavin Collins. Grayson Thurman came out of the armbarn and took over on the mound in the bottom half of the frame. The senior retired the side in order with two strikeouts.
Harding opened the eighth with his first-career triple. Fiedler used a sacrifice fly to get Harding home and extend the lead to 4-0.
Avery Neaves tripled to open the next frame, but the Hornets were unable to bring him home. Neaves went 2-5 on the night and stole a base. Collins also turned in a multihit day with a single and a double.
Thurman pitched himself into and out of trouble in the bottom of the ninth. The senior allowed three runs and faced the game-winning run with two outs and the game-tying run on first. Thurman buckled down and earned his fifth K of the game to seal the opening-day victory for the Hornets.
The Hornets earned their second-consecutive opening-day victory and also enjoyed their fourth win over a ranked opponent since Apr. 13, 2021.
Pond and Thurman combined for 17 strikeouts marking Lynchburg's most in a game since fanning 17 against Bridgewater on May 16, 2021.
Lynchburg (1-0) takes on No. 9 Washington (Mo.) on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 3:15 p.m.
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--LYN--