Salem, Va. -- The Lynchburg College baseball team took an early lead but couldn't hang on, suffering an 8-4 defeat at the hands of fourth-ranked Roanoke Thursday evening in Old Dominion Athletic Conference play.

Freshman third baseman Parker Shaffer (Richmond, Va.) went 2-for-3 on the day, while senior center fielder Brad Hylton (Danville, Va.) was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

THE RUNDOWN

Final: No. 4 Roanoke 8, Lynchburg 4

Records: No. 4 Roanoke (20-4, 11-0 ODAC), Lynchburg (12-13, 5-7 ODAC)

Venue: Kiwanis Field, Salem, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

- Lynchburg took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on RBI singles from sophomore left fielder Shawn Allen (Columbus, N.J.) and Hylton's RBI double.

- Roanoke halved the lead in the first and took a 5-2 lead on Will Salva's second-inning grand slam.

- The Hornets made it 5-3 when junior shortstop Thomas Powell (Stanardsville, Va.) scored on a first-and-third play in the fourth, but Roanoke added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take control of the game.

- Lynchburg scored its final run on an RBI groundout by senior catcher Matthew Stevens (Annandale, Va.) in the sixth.

- Junior right-hander Ryan Irby (Midlothian, Va.) took the loss for LC, while RC's Matthew Franklin earned the win in relief.

LOOKING AHEAD

Lynchburg will celebrate Senior Day on Sunday, April 8 against No. 8 Randolph-Macon on LC's James C. Fox Field at noon.

--LC--