FERRUM, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Baseball Team (4-8) fell on the road in non-conference play to former ODAC rival Ferrum College (3-6) Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers utilized a five-run fifth inning to earn the 12-7 win.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Ferrum 12, Emory & Henry 7
LOCATION – Ferrum, Virginia
VENUE – Panther Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (4-8, 2-4 SAC); Ferrum (3-6, 1-5 Carolinas)
How It Happened
The visiting Wasps opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning to take an early lead. Sophomore shortstop Jaret Hoppes (Taylorsville, N.C.), junior outfielder Jadden Rodriguez (Thomasville, N.C.) and junior designated hitter Kyle Fields (Lynchburg, Va.) loaded the bases with back-to-back-to-back singles. Senior third baseman Drew Park (Mooresville, N.C.) plated Hoppes with an RBI groundout to make it 1-0. The Panthers responded with three runs on four hits in the home half of the frame to jump ahead 3-1 through one inning of action.
After a scoreless second, the Wasps struck again in the top of the third inning. Hoppes and Rodriguez singled to set the table for Fields who laced an RBI double to center to score Hoppes. Junior first baseman J.D. James (China Grove, N.C.) followed with an RBI single to score another and Park delivered a sacrifice fly to put the Wasps back on top 4-3. Senior Ky Gregoire (Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) singled to move James up to third and junior second baseman Jeriel Lamboy (Caguas, PUERTO RICO) plated a fourth run with an RBI sacrifice fly of his own to make it 5-3.
Emory & Henry added to its lead in the top of the fourth. Hoppes walked and stole second, then came around to touch home on another RBI double off the bat of Fields and the score stood at 6-3 in favor of the visitors from Emory. The Ferrum bats came to life through the middle stages of the contest, as the Panthers scored two in the bottom of the fourth, five in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the bottom of the seventh to establish a 12-6 advantage. E&H would get a run back in the top of the eighth, but it was not enough as Ferrum took the win between the two old rivals by the 12-7 final.
Nathan Mecke picked up the win for Ferrum as he threw a scoreless fifth inning in relief. Junior righty Ivan Delp (Sparta, N.C.) was saddled with the loss for the Wasps after surrendering nine runs, seven earned, on 12 hits with a pair of strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Hoppes, Rodriguez and Fields all finished with three hits while Park added a pair of knocks and two RBIs.
Up Next
Emory & Henry returns to South Atlantic Conference play this weekend at Newberry College. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. from the Smith Road Complex.
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