GAFFNEY, S.C. – Senior starter
Matt Orth (Asheboro, N.C.) tossed five scoreless innings on the mound and then added an RBI at the dish to help lead the Limestone College baseball team to a midweek win over Mars Hill University on Tuesday, February 13 at Founders FCU Stadium.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 4, Mars Hill 1
Records: Limestone (5-2), Mars Hill (1-6)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Orth registered four strikeouts on the bump to run his season record to 1-1
- Sophomore Trace Whetsell (Gilbert, S.C.) went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI
- Junior Channing Painton (Marietta, Ga.) added an RBI double
- Sophomore Brandon Banks (Rock Hill, S.C.) tallied a hit and an RBI
- Junior Zach Piazza (Huntingtown, Md.) chipped in two knocks, including a double
- Junior Ryan Creps (Indiana, Pa.) added two hits
- Senior Robert Bamford (Davie, Fla.) picked up his first career save
HOW IT HAPPENED
Innings 1-3
Orth worked around singles in each of the first three innings, posting a trio of strikeouts in the process, before the Saints batted around for three runs in the bottom of the third. With a pair of runners on to start the frame, Painton put Limestone on the board with an RBI double down the leftfield chalk.
With the bases juiced and still no outs, Orth helped his own cause as he posted a sacrifice fly with a little flare over the second basemen's shoulder. The Blue and Gold would then push the margin to 3-0 two batters later as Banks pulled a two-out RBI base knock through the left side of the infield.
Innings 4-6
Working with a three-run lead, Orth found his groove on the mound as he sat down the side in order over both the fourth and fifth innings. Mars Hill would threaten to break up the shutout in the top of the sixth, but freshman reliever
Alec Seaward (Kings Mountain, N.C.) got out of the jam with a 5-3 double play.
Innings 7-9
With two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Saints pushed across an insurance run as Whetsell punched an RBI single into leftfield to give the home team a 4-0 cushion.
The Lions attempted to rally with a pair of two-out knocks in the top of the eighth, but senior reliever
Preston Kirk (Chester, S.C.) retired the side with a big strikeout. Mars Hill dirtied the clean sheet with one out in the ninth, but Bamford would come in and shut the door to earn his first career save.
TURNING POINT
The Saints batted around in the home half of the third, pushing across three runs in the decisive frame, and would not look back from there as the Blue and Gold was two outs away from a shutout victory.
NOTABLES
- Limestone improves to 18-3 all-time at home against Mars Hill
- The Saints snapped a two-game losing streak against the Lions
- The Blue and Gold posted 10 hits for the second straight games
UP NEXT
Limestone will play its first road game of the season as it travels to take on Lenoir-Rhyne University in a Valentine's Day special on Wednesday, February 14 at 4 p.m.