Lynchburg, Va. -- The Lynchburg College baseball team suffered a non-conference doubleheader sweep Thursday at the hands of North Carolina Wesleyan, falling 7-3 and 4-3, in 8 innings, to the visiting Battling Bishops.

Senior catcher Tyler Wood (Gloucester, Va.) delivered the day's biggest blow for Lynchburg, a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra frames in Game 2.

Junior right-hander Ryan Irby (Midlothian, Va.) threw admirably in the nightcap with five scoreless innings of three-hit ball, striking out six. Sophomore second baseman Austin Keesee (Chesterfield, Va.) and senior right fielder Will Harris (Halifax, Va.) registered multi-hit days for the Hornets.

THE RUNDOWN

Game 1 Final: N.C. Wesleyan 7, Lynchburg 3

Game 2 Final: N.C. Wesleyan 4, Lynchburg 3 (8 inn.)

Records: N.C. Wesleyan 17-16, Lynchburg 11-10

Venue: James C. Fox Field, Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1

• Things started off poorly for Lynchburg as the Battling Bishops scored twice on three hits in the top of the first inning.

• After Lynchburg responded with a sacrifice fly from Keesee, NCWC added two more runs in the fourth for a 4-1 advantage.

• Lynchburg cut the lead to 4-2 when junior shortstop Thomas Powell (Stanardsville, Va.) singled home a run, but the Battling Bishops scored three unearned runs in the top of the sixth for some breathing room. Senior center fielder Brad Hylton (Danville, Va.) drove in LC's third run with a seventh-inning sac fly.

Game 2

• Both Irby and NCWC starter Brynner Porter cruised in the early going, and the game was scoreless after three innings.

• Lynchburg got to Porter in the fourth when senior first baseman Matt Ward (Newton, N.C.) doubled home Hylton, who led the inning off with a single.

• On the shoulder's of Irby's performance and a scoreless frame from freshman right-hander Michael Reiskind (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Lynchburg held the lead going into the top of the seventh. But after a Hornets fielding miscue, the visitors smacked a pair of doubles around an intentional walk for a 3-1 advantage.

• Down to their last out, the Hornets rallied in the bottom of the inning. Keesee delivered a two-out single to right, and Wood deposited the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence to tie the game. Powell then walked and stole second, but the junior was stranded, and the teams went to extra innings.

• NCWC rallied for another run in the eighth, driven in by Alec Titmus' single through the right side, that would prove the difference.

LOOKING AHEAD

Lynchburg will continue its homestand in a return to Old Dominion Athletic Conference action on Saturday, March 31, when they will square off with the Wasps of Emory & Henry College. First pitch is scheduled for noon.

--LC--