For immediate release - 2/27/2013 - #270

Patrick, Johnston Lead Hornets to 3-1 Victory over N.C. Wesleyan

ROCKY MOUNT, NC—The Lynchburg College baseball team rode the duo of juniors Zac Patrick and Trevor Johnston for a 3-1 victory over N.C. Wesleyan Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action.

The first run of the game did not cross the plate until the sixth inning, but the Hornets turned away several Battling Bishop attempts early.

N.C. Wesleyan led off the bottom of the first with a single. Following a sacrifice bunt and two walks, Lynchburg was facing a bases loaded situation with one out. Patrick induced a groundball to senior third baseman Dan Savage, who forced the runner at home. Hayden Williams grounded out to second in the next at bat to end the threat.

The Hornets faced another threat in the third when Lee Dunn reached on a two-base error with two outs. A wild pitch sent Dunn to third before Patrick struck out Chase Johnson to come away unscathed.

Lynchburg made the Battling Bishops' missed opportunities hurt in the sixth inning. Sophomore Lincoln Evans reached on a bunt single with one out in front of senior Michael Kenah, who made it to first by way of an error. A wild pitch advanced both into scoring position for senior designated hitter, Brock Shiflett. Back-to-back fielder 's choices by Shiflett and Savage staked the Hornets to a 2-0 lead.

Johnston, entering in the fifth inning for Patrick, made the two-run lead last, despite giving up a run to N.C. Wesleyan in the bottom of the eighth. He finished the day with five innings of one-run ball, giving up four hits, while striking out two and walking none.

LC got the gap back up to two runs in the top of the ninth inning when sophomore Joe Rogers led off with his first career homerun, sending it over the left field wall. It was the first run of the season charged to Battling Bishop closer Ciro Norzagaray.

Shiflett led the Hornets with a 2-for-4, RBI day. Evans, Kenah, Savage, Rogers, and junior Jake Tanner all collected a hit for LC. Patrick finished his four scoreless innings with five strikeouts against two hits and three walks.

J.J. Rodriguez was 2-for-4 for N.C. Wesleyan (5-8). Battling Bishop starter Jackson Pleasant was charged with two unearned runs in the loss.

Lynchburg (6-4) continues its road trip, heading to Washington and Lee (5-4) to kick off Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play on Saturday. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for noon.