Hickory, N.C.-- The #8 Lenoir-Rhyne Baseball took two games from UVA-Wise on Saturday to complete the series sweep. In game one, LR scored early and often on their way to a 17-0 win. The long balls continued in this one, as the Bears hit six more home runs, with Mackenzie Wainright and
Nathan Kidder each hitting a pair of bombs.
William Girardi throw six scoreless innings for his fifth win.
In the night cap,
Owen Blackledge went deep for the third straight game while
Cole Stanford and
Joseph Mozingo added long balls in the 7-3 win.
Kellen Gradisar had a career-high nine strikeouts to help him pick up his sixth win of the season.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game One Final: #8 Lenoir-Rhyne 17, (RV) UVA-Wise 0 (7 Inns.)
Game Two Final: #8 Lenoir-Rhyne 7, (RV) UVA-Wise 3
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (24-4, 12-3 SAC), UVA-Wise (19-13, 9-9 SAC)
Location: Hickory, N.C. | Durham Field
GAME ONE INFO:
- LR did not waste any time and picked up where they left off last night, scoring nine times in the bottom of the first inning.
- The Bears then added a single run in the 3rd, 4th and 5th inning before putting up a five spot in the 6th inning.
- Eli Willen went 2-for-4 including a grand slam in the big nine run first inning.
- Nathaneal Kidder and Mackenzie Wainwright both homered twice, each had a two-run home run and a solo shot.
- Wainright had his third four-hit game of the season as LR finished with 13 hits.
- Owen Blackledge homered in his second straight game.
- William Girardi threw six scoreless innings allowing just four singles and striking out eight to pick up win number five.
GAME TWO INFO:
- Joseph Mozingo got the Bears on the board with a solo home run in the second inning.
- LR added four-run spot in the 3rd, highlighted by Cole Stanford's home run to left field.
- Owen Blackledge connected on his third home run of the weekend in the 5th inning.
- The Cavaliers run in the 4th inning snapping a 17-inning scoring drought.
- UVA-Wise added a few runs in the 6th, but Mozingo drove in a run in the bottom half of the inning to extend the lead to 7-3.
- Gavin Marley picked up the last five outs for his third save of the year.
- Kellen Gradisar went 5 1/3 innings on the mound allowing three runs and striking out a career high nine batters.
- Blackledge and Mozingo had two hits a piece and the duo each had a pair of RBI's.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- LR is now 14-0 all-time against the Cavs.
- The Bears remain in second place in the SAC, one game behind Carson-Newman.
- The Bears were #8 in the NCBWA media poll this week and #5 in the D2 baseball poll while the Cavs were receiving votes in the D2 baseball poll.
- Mackenzie Wainwright's hitting streak is now at 18 games.
- Sal Carricato extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
- The Bears came into the weekend with a .367 average and after these three games the Bears are now hitting .373 on the season.
UP NEXT: The Bears will host Concord University on Tuesday for a 5:00 PM game. The Mountains Lions are out of the Mountain East Conference and are currently 11-9. This will be the first matchup between these teams since 2016 and the first ever trip to Hickory for Concord.