For immediate release – 4/22/2011 - #360
Hornets Advance Past Hampden-Sydney, Face Bridgewater in the Next Round

LYNCHBURG, VA – Senior Jordan Watkins (Freeland, MD/Hereford) pitched eight solid innings and added a key RBI, as the Lynchburg College baseball team defeated Hampden-Sydney College 5-3 in the elimination round of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament on Friday.

Watkins went eight and a third innings, giving up nine hits and three runs while striking out six in the Hornets victory. At the plate he went 1-4 scoring a run with a RBI.

Hampden-Sydney got on the board in the top of the first frame, courtesy of a solo homerun from first baseman Justin Hebert. Lynchburg answered back with three runs in the bottom of the first. Watkins singled in a run and sophomore Michael Kenah (Clifton, VA/Robinson) doubled to right centerfield to drive in two, making it a 3-1 lead for the Hornets.

HSC scored one run in the top of the third off a Lynchburg error. After four innings of scoreless play, Lynchburg broke through with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Senior Mike Walters (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) singled in a run and junior Richard Palase (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) scored off an error to give Lynchburg a 5-2 lead going into the top of the ninth.

The Tigers scored one in the top of the ninth and loaded the bases, but Lynchburg closer junior Jared Millner (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) got the final two outs for his ninth save of the season.

Mike Blanchard went seven and a third innings on the mound for HSC, giving up five hits and four runs with four strikeouts. Hunter Lewis went 3-4 at the plate with one RBI. The Tigers finish the season with a 20-21 overall record.

Lynchburg (24-14) will face Bridgewater College in the next elimination game scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m at Lynchburg City Stadium.  The winner of that game will take on Randolph-Macon on Saturday at 1 p.m.