WISE, Va. – Nine innings of regulation was not enough to separate a pair of Southwest Virginia rivals in a midweek showdown Tuesday afternoon. The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (5-17) utilized a go-ahead, two-run long ball in the top of the tenth inning to defeat the University of Virginia's College at Wise (18-7) by a 2-0 final score. The game between the two South Atlantic Conference rivals was played as a non-conference affair.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 2, UVA Wise 0
LOCATION – Wise, Virginia
VENUE – Burchell Stallard Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (5-17, 2-10 SAC); UVA Wise (18-7, 8-4 SAC)
How It Happened
Both pitching staffs were locked in from the beginning of the game as anything offensive was tough to come by. Both teams were kept off of the scoreboard through the opening three innings of play as both starters shut down the opposing team's lineup. The first threat came in the fourth as both squads managed to put runners on base, but a pair of double plays retired the side in both cases. Sophomore lefty Drew Lanzo (Indian Trail, N.C.) was dominant on the mound for the Wasps as he continued to sit down the UVA Wise batters.
The Wasps threatened again in the top of the seventh when fifth-year first baseman Triston Hensley (Covington, Va.) singled and swiped second base to reach scoring position, but could not push the run across and the game remained scoreless. Lanzo kept E&H in the game as he allowed just three hits over 8.1 innings of work while fanning four batters. The Cavaliers put a runner on base in the bottom of the ninth, but fifth-year reliever John McCarthy (Hampton, Va.) induced an inning-ending double play to send the game into extras.
Hensley reached on an error to begin the top of the tenth inning to set the stage for senior outfielder Khadeem Lewis (Chesterfield, Va.). After falling behind in the count 0-2, Lewis came up clutch as he launched a two-run bomb over the wall in left for his first career home run to put the visitors from Emory on top 2-0. Wise would not go quietly as the Cavaliers managed to put the first two runners of the bottom of the 10th on base. Fifth-year reliever Jack Swarbrick (Haverhill, Mass.) entered with one out and retired the final two batters of the game to clinch the victory.
McCarthy earned the win on the mound as he allowed just one hit over one inning on the mound. Swarbrick picked up his first save of the season and second of his career after recording the final two outs. Nathan McNelley took the loss for UVA Wise after surrendering the go-ahead home run in the top of the tenth. Fifth-year outfielder Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) was the offensive leader for the Wasps as he finished with three hits. Lewis drove in the lone two runs of the game for E&H while Hensley, senior third baseman Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.) and fifth-year outfielder Matt Hill (Pineville, N.C.) all had a base knock in the win.
Up Next
Emory & Henry has a quick turnaround as they make the short trip to take on border rival King (Tenn.) University tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. from King Baseball Field.
--E&H--