Gaffney, S.C.--
Connor Smith went 4-5 with a home run, double and 5 RBIs in the Bears 16-6 victory in game one but Limestone used a six-run second inning to came away with a 6-1 victory in game two.
E.J. Ranel hit his 10th homer in the loss.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game One Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 16, Limestone 6
Game Two Final: Limestone 6, Lenoir-Rhyne 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (19-13, 16-10 SAC) | Limstone (14-16, 12-13 SAC)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium | Gaffney S.C.
STATS OF GAME ONE:
- Three batters into the game, LR grabbed a 3-0 lead. Connor Smith hit a three-run homerun to left field and gave the Bears the early lead.
- Alex Shirazi had a 4-0 lead before taking the mound for his 27th career start. Shirazi (4-3) went six innings to get the victory allowing six runs (four earned) with seven strikeouts.
- The Bears broke the game open with a seven-run 4th inning. LR scored all seven runs after having two outs and no one on.
- Smith lead the Bears with his first career four hit game. Smith went 4-5 with HR, double, three runs scored and five runs batted in.
- Will Jones, Bryce Stober, and Wade Cuda -- the Bears 7-9 batters -- went 6-11 with 5 RBIs on the contest.
STATS OF GAME TWO:
- Limestone scored all six runs in the bottom of the second off starter Tanner Moyers (3-3). Limestone's Brandon Banks opened the scoring with a three-run home run then Josh Evans and Benjamin Huber drove in runs with two outs in the inning.
- Bears got six scoreless innings out of their bullpen. Michael Allen, Brett Fulk and Austin Blevins gave LR a scoreless inning each while Joey Cobb threw three scoreless innings in relief.
- Ranel got the Bears on the board with his 10th home run of the season in the 8th.
- Matt Mackey and Nick Clarno had two hits for the Bears.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Today's game featured eight of the top 16 home run leaders in the SAC. Bears lead the conference with 50 homers heading into today while Limestone is second with 36.
- This is also a matchup of the SAC's highest batting average (Limestone .318) against the SAC's lowest opponent batting average (LR .205). Bears have held their opponents to just a .205 batting average through the first 30 games.
- Bears will finish the regular season starting today with 10 games in the next seven days including eight conference matchups.
- Ranel's homerun ties teammate Drue Galassi and Tusculum's Brandon Trammell for the SAC lead.
- Bears seven stolen bases in game one was a season high.
UP NEXT: The teams will conclude their four-game series tomorrow starting at 1:00 PM.