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Eastern Mennonite University

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Erik Wilkinson HR vs. Lynchburg 2024
Jenny Posey
22
Winner Lynchburg LYNCHBUR 16-7
12
East. Mennonite EAST. ME 7-13
Winner
Lynchburg LYNCHBUR
16-7
22
Final
12
East. Mennonite EAST. ME
7-13
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Lynchburg LYNCHBUR 3 1 0 1 4 9 0 0 4 22 15 1
East. Mennonite EAST. ME 1 1 2 4 1 2 0 1 0 12 18 2

W: A. Riney (2-1) L: Smith, Marcus (0-1)

8
Winner Lynchburg LYNCHBUR 17-7
3
East. Mennonite EAST. ME 7-14
Winner
Lynchburg LYNCHBUR
17-7
8
Final
3
East. Mennonite EAST. ME
7-14
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Lynchburg LYNCHBUR 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 4 8 10 2
East. Mennonite EAST. ME 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 2 1

W: N. Mattfield (2-1) L: Dooley, Jack (1-2) S: C. McGuire (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Drops Doubleheader to Nationally-Ranked Lynchburg

HARRISONBURG, Va. – On a beautiful spring Saturday, the EMU Baseball team played host to #17 Lynchburg, the reigning Division III national champions. Sadly, the results for the Royals were not as pretty as the weather. Lynchburg took a high-scoring game one 22-12, and then game two played out like a pitcher's duel until the Hornets pulled away for an 8-3 win, handing EMU two losses on the day.

Dylan Hall led the Royals offensively with a 4-for-5 effort in game one, while Ethan Spraker went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. In game two, Jack Dooley pitched a gem, allowing just one run and six hits in seven innings of work.

Records: EMU 7-14, 4-6 ODAC | Lynchburg 17-7, 7-3 ODAC

Game 1 – Lynchburg 22, EMU 12
WP: Austin Riney (2-1)
LP: Marcus Smith (0-1)
Save: N/A

Highlights
  • The Hornets wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard, scoring three runs in the top of the first. The Royals then countered with one run in the bottom half when Daniel McGinnis drew a bases loaded walk. The teams then traded one run apiece in the second to make the score 4-2 Lynchburg through two.
  • The Royals knotted the game at four with two runs in the bottom of the third. Hall singled up the middle to bring in Erik Wilkinson. Three batters later, Spraker doubled down the left field line to help Nick Arnold reach home. Matt Harding brought in Spraker with a sac fly.
  • Following one Hornet run in the top half of the fourth, EMU took the lead for the first time with a big four-run bottom of the frame. After an Arnold sac fly to plate Logan Mason, Spraker singled to score Hall. Harding then added 2 RBIs to his stat sheet with a single up the middle. This put the Royals out front 8-5 through four innings of play.
  • However, the Hornets took command from there, tallying four more runs in the top of the fifth to go out front 9-8. The Royals responded by tying the game at 9-9 in the bottom half off of a well-executed double steal, with Arnold taking second and Alex Gulisano swiping home plate.
  • Lynchburg took the lead for good by racking up nine runs in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of the Royals' pitching woes.
  • Erik Wilkinson provided a highlight in the bottom of the sixth by smacking a two-run home run to right center field, his second round-tripper of the season.
  • EMU tacked on one more run in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a Hall single to right center to score Harding. That EMU within six at 18-12, but then Lynchburg countered with four runs in the top of the ninth.
Statistical Leaders
Hall: 4-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBIs
Spraker: 3-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBIs
Wilkinson: 2-for-4, HR (2), 2 runs, 2 RBIs

Game 2 – Lynchburg 8, EMU 3
WP: Nick Mattfield (2-1)
LP: Jack Dooley (1-2)
Save: Colin McGuire (3)

Highlights
  • The Hornets and the Royals traded goose eggs through the first six innings of the game as Mattfield and Dooley did a superb job of keeping their opposition off scoreboard. Lynchburg finally broke the silence on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the seventh inning.
  • The Hornets added insurance to their lead with three more runs in the top of the eighth. EMU, however, got those three runs right back in the bottom of the frame. After Aidan Miller reached on a Lynchburg error, McGinnis singled up the middle to break up Mattfield's bid for a no-hitter. A couple of batters later, Harding hit a sac fly to left field to bring in Miller and get EMU on the board. Gulisano then bashed a two-RBI single to left field, bringing in Wilkinson and pinch-runner Noah Sanderson. The put EMU right back in the game with the score 4-3 Lynchburg going to the ninth.
  • However, Lynchburg pulled away from the Royals with a four-run top of the ninth. EMU could not muster any more offense in the bottom of the ninth as McGuire retired the side to put the doubleheader in the books.
Statistical Leaders
McGinnis: 1-for-3
Gulisano: 1-for-3, 2 RBIs
Dooley: 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Ks

What's Next
EMU Baseball will hit the road for a Route 42 rivalry game at Bridgewater on Wednesday, April 3. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. 

To keep up to date with everything surrounding EMU baseball, follow EMU on Twitter and Instagram, like EMU Athletics on Facebook or visit our website.
 
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