HICKORY, N.C.- With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh in a tie game,
Drew Beard laced a ball that landed just inside the right field line to give the Bears a 5-4 win and complete the weekend sweep of the Anderson Trojans.
In the first game of the day,
Matt Procopio went 4-4 at the plate and
Jack Renaud threw three scoreless inning out of the bullpen to close out a 4-2 victory to earn his seventh save of the season.
Procopio finished the double header with six hits, including a big three-run home run in the night cap.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game One Final: (RV) Lenoir-Rhyne 4, Anderson 2
Game Two Final: (RV) Lenoir-Rhyne 5. Anderson 4
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (18-4-1, 10-4-1 SAC), Anderson (15-11, 4-11 SAC)
Location: Hickory, N.C. I Durham Field
STORY OF GAME ONE:
- Lenoir-Rhyne got RBIs from Drew Beard and Matt Procopio in the first inning to open a 2-0 lead.
- The Bears extended the lead to 3-0 in the third with a Seth Christmas RBI single through the left side.
- Anderson scored its first two runs of the series in the top of the sixth inning.
- Xavier Mann extended the home side's lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.
- Jack Renaud came in to get the final nine outs and pick up save seven of the season.
- Procopio had half of the Bears' hits as he finished with his second four hit game of the season.
- Christmas had his 11th multi-hit game with two hits.
- Hugo Tafoya (3-0) got the win throwing five plus innings, allowing just two runs and striking out three.
- Preston Drebes come in the sixth to help get out of a bases loaded, no out jam, to help hold the lead.
STORY OF GAME TWO:
- After Anderson opened a 2-0 lead, Nick Morris cut the lead in half with a solo blast to left in the 3rd.
- The Trojans added to their lead with a RBI single from Levi Medford in the 4th.
- Procopio give the Bears the lead with a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth.
- Gray Wells doubled off the wall in the top of the seventh to tie the game at four.
- With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh Beard laced a ball down the right field to drive in the winning run.
- Preston Drebes (4-1) pitched in both games today and got the game two win.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- The Bears have won seven in a row against the Trojans.
- Christmas saw his eight game hitting streak end in game two today.
- Procopio hit .600 this week, going went 9-15 in the four games this week with seven runs batted in.
- The LR bullpen allowed just one run in seven innings today.
UP NEXT: The Bears will head to Belmont Abbey for a mid-week game on Tuesday. Belmont Abbey just took two of three games this weekend against No. 1 North Greenville to move to 16-8 on the season. First-pitch from Belmont is scheduled for 5:00 PM.