EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (2-3, 1-0 SAC) opened up South Atlantic Conference play with a win over Southwest Virginia rival the University of Virginia's College at Wise (2-2, 0-1 SAC) Friday evening. The Wasps put up runs in each of the first six innings and held off the Cavaliers for the 11-10 victory in game one of a three-game weekend series.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 11, UVA Wise 10
LOCATION – Wise, Virginia
VENUE – Burchell Stallard Baseball Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (2-3, 1-0 SAC); UVA Wise (2-2, 0-1 SAC)
How It Happened
The Wasps opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when junior outfielder Jadden Rodriguez (Thomasville, N.C.) drew a walk, moved up to third on a base hit by junior first baseman J.D. James (China Grove, N.C.) and came around to touch home on an RBI single from senior third baseman Drew Park (Mooresville, N.C.) to make it 1-0. The Cavaliers responded with a three-run home run in the home half of the inning to jump ahead 3-1.
E&H put up another run in the top of the second when sophomore shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.) singled, Rodriguez walked and junior designated hitter Kyle Fields (Lynchburg, Va.) plated Hoppes to draw within one at 3-2. The Wasps tied things up in the third inning when sophomore outfielder Rhett Barker (Charlotte, N.C.) delivered an RBI single to score Park and the score was knotted at 3-3.
Emory & Henry finally put up a crooked number on the scoreboard in the fourth. Fields launched a solo shot over the wall in left to put the Wasps back on top 4-3, but the visitors from Emory were not done. Park was hit by a pitch and senior catcher Ky Gregoire (Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) singled to set the stage for junior second baseman Jack Ferguson (Abingdon, Va.). Ferguson roped a two-RBI single to left that scored both runners and the Wasps' advantage stood at 6-3. Wise once again had an immediate answer in the home half, putting up a pair of runs with a two-run blast to draw back within a run at 6-5.
E&H continued to add to their lead in the top of the fifth frame on an RBI single by James to score Barker. The Wasps poured it on offensively in the sixth. Gregoire led off the inning with a solo homer to right to make it 8-5. Ferguson and sophomore outfielder Stuart Callahan, III (Stuart, Va.) put together back-to-back singles and Barker doubled down the line in right to score Ferguson. Hoppes followed with an RBI sacrifice fly and Fields lashed an RBI single to left to run the margin out to 11-5. UVA Wise would strike back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to tighten the score back up at 11-9. Wise would put one more run on the board in the eighth to make it a one-run ballgame heading to the ninth. The home team managed to put the tying and go-ahead runners on base in the ninth, but senior reliever Brady Halstead (Indian Trail, N.C.) shut things down to clinch the victory for the Wasps, picking up his second save of the season in the process.
Senior righty Jacob Nester (Hillsville, Va.) picked up the win on the hill for the Wasps as he allowed seven runs on seven hits while striking out four batters over 5.2 innings of work. Houston Sarvis was the losing pitcher for Wise, giving up six runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings. Halstead recorded the final nine outs of the contest, fanning five Wise hitters while surrendering just one run on a pair of hits. Fields paced the E&H offense with a trio of RBIs on three hits, including the long ball. Ferguson and Barker each drove in a pair while Hoppes, James, Park and Gregoire each had an RBI.
Up Next
Emory & Henry wraps up the three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Wise, Virginia.
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