The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team earned a doubleheader split in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action at Virginia Wesleyan University (3-14, 3-7 ODAC) Friday afternoon. The Marlins held off a late rally to win game one, 9-8, while the Wasps took game two by an 11-7 score.
Emory & Henry got on the board in the top of the first on a two-out double by senior designated hitter Chandler Kezele . The Marlins answered with three in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by Matt Dagostino’s base hit to right.
In the third, VWU scored five times to push their lead to 8-1. Dagostino came through again, this time with a single to center. E&H got one run back in the top of the fourth as sophomore catcher Nathan Treadway hit a sacrifice fly to draw the score to 8-2.
Four straight scoreless innings led up to the ninth where the Wasps scored six to make it an 8-all contest. Junior Koty Proctor drove in a pair with a pinch-hit single to center while senior third baseman Hayden Milley plated two with a double to left-center.
In the bottom of the ninth, Miles Christian put the Marlins over the top with a RBI base knock to left for the 9-8 win.
Robert Cook threw 8.1 innings in the start for Virginia Wesleyan, allowing four runs on six hits with 13 strikeouts as he got a no-decision. Jay Crusemire earned the win in relief, pitching the final two outs of the contest. E&H senior Noah Griffin suffered the loss, allowing six earned runs on six hits with six walks in five innings of work.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 11, Virginia Wesleyan 7
VWU got things started in the bottom of the second as Sam Kasprow hit a sacrifice fly to right field. The Wasps responded in the top of the third as senior shortstop Caleb Haynes and sophomore second baseman Eli Milhorn had RBI base hits to make the score 2-1.
Six runs for Emory & Henry in the fourth made it 8-1, highlighted by a two-run single to right-centerfield by junior outfielder Cas Blevins. The Marlins notched a run in the sixth but three in the eighth by the Wasps extended their lead to 11-2 as Kezele hit a two-run homer to centerfield.
In the bottom of the eighth, VWU scored four times as Matt Sinko drove in a pair with a double to centerfield and came back around in the ninth to hit a sacrifice fly to close the gap to 11-7. The Marlins would get no closer as the Wasps came away with the split.
Senior left-hander J.T. Agosto earned the win on the hill, going six innings as he allowed one earned run on eight hits with seven strikeouts. Virginia Wesleyan’s Albert Clark permitted seven runs on five hits with three walks in 3.2 innings in the losing effort.
