Kodak, Tenn. - Josh Lanham pitched a three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts, Anthony Porrino went deep, and the Bears scored six runs in the 6th inning to thump Queens 8-0 in the opening round in the SAC Tournament. Lanham tied a career high with 14 strikeouts, and didn't allow a runner to reach third base in the game. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Game final: Lenoir-Rhyne 8, Queens 0
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (41-10, 17-7 SAC), Queens (29-21, 17-7 SAC) 
Location: Kodak, Tenn. | Smokies Stadium

GAME INFO

• With two outs and no one on in the 2nd, Bryce Stober got the Bears their first hit of the evening. Erick Ramirez then doubled off the right field wall to bring in Stober to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
• There was no notable offense either way until the 6th inning, when the Bears broke the game open with a six-hit, six-run inning. The Bears started the inning with four straight singles to chase Queens's starter Tanner Jacobson. 
• In the 6th inning alone, the Bears got RBI singles from Anthony Porriono, Wade Cuda, Ramirez, and then a RBI double by David Bell. 
• After a Cole Laskowski sac fly and then a wild pitch allowing Bell to score the Bears took a 7-0 lead into the bottom half of the inning. 
• Porrino then crushed a solo home run just inside the right field pole in the 9th to gave the Bears the 8-0 win. 
• Lanham was specular tonight, giving up just three hits while tying his career high with 14 strikeouts. He did not allow a runner to reach third base all night and retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced. 
• Five Bears had at least two hits tonight, led by Porrino's three-hit game. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Tonight's matchup was the first time the two teams have played in the SAC Conference Tournament. Queens, who is just in their 4th season as a program, made their SAC Tournament debut tonight. 
• With tonight's win, the Bears snapped a nine-game SAC Conference Tournament losing streak, with the last win coming in 2006 against Newberry. 
• Lenoir-Rhyne came in at No. 5 in the first NCAA Southeast Regional Rankings that debut this week. 
• Lanham has not given up a run in his 15 career post season innings. He's allowed just five hits while striking out 25 hitters in his career in the postseason after tonight. 
• The 9-inning shutout is the first for the Bear program since 2017. 
• Lanham tied the program record with his 10th win joining Israel Campbell (2001) and Thomas St. Clair (2017) in the record book. 
• No. 5 seed Catawba upset the No. 2 seed Newbery earlier today to set up a second matchup with the Bears. 

UP NEXT:  No. 4 Bears will face No. 5 seed Catawba in the second round at 6:30 on Saturday.