GREENSBORO, N.C. – In a matchup of two of the past three national champions, the second-ranked Salisbury University baseball team rallied from an early hole but couldn't close the gap, falling to the sixth-ranked Lynchburg Hornets, 8-5, to open the D3 Showcase on Friday night at First National Bank Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Hornets landed the opening salvo in the bottom of the first inning. With men on the corners and one out, Eric Hiett drew a walk and O'Kelly McWilliams stole home in the process to put Lynchburg on top 1-0.
- In the second, Sean Pokorak reached on a two-base error to lead off and Josh Gjormand singled him home to double the lead. With men on second and third and two out later in the frame, Hiett tagged an RBI single to make it 3-0 Hornets.
- Lynchburg added three more in the third on a Quinn Madden RBI single and a two-run base knock from McWilliams to boost the advantage to 6-0.
- The Sea Gulls got on the board in the top of the fourth. With men on the corners and one out, Adam Tommer hit into an RBI fielder's choice to make it 6-1.
- The Hornets countered with two in the home fourth. Bryce Demory scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, and Pokorak hit into a sac fly to bring home another and increase the margin to 8-1.
- Salisbury got back into it with one big swing in the fifth. With two on and one out, Dylan Winebrenner tagged an opposite-field three-run homer to right, his first of the year, to bring SU within 8-4.
- The Sea Gulls peeled another run back in the eighth as Winebrenner doubled to lead off and scored two batters later on a Ben Anderson RBI groundout to make it 8-5.
- In the top of the ninth, SU put two men on base via a hit batsman and a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Danny Sheeler rolled out to the pitcher to end it.
SALISBURY GAME NOTES
- Dylan Winebrenner finished 2-of-3 with a double, home run, two runs, and three RBIs out of the cleanup slot.
- Ben Anderson and Adam Tommer each drove in a run.
- Kyle Brex and Danny Sheeler scored a run apiece.
- Tyler Villa (0-1) endured the loss after giving up an unearned run in just two-thirds of an inning to start. Villa gave up one hit and walked four on 32 pitches.
- Garrett Beaver engaged in yeoman's work to keep the game from getting out of hand, tossing 3.1 perfect innings of relief and striking out six.
LYNCHBURG GAME NOTES
- O'Kelly McWilliams went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored from the two-hole for the Hornets.
- Quinn Madden, Sean Pokorak, and Josh Gjormand each drove in a run from the bottom third of the order.
- Gavin Collins and Pokorak scored two runs each.
- Wesley Arrington (1-1) scooped up the win with five innings of four-run, four-hit ball. Arrington walked three and punched out three.
- Mason McDowell nailed down the save with a scoreless ninth.
UP NEXT
- The Sea Gulls will battle 16th-ranked Denison on the second day of the D3 Showcase on Saturday.
- First pitch from FNB Field is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 197 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.