Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's baseball team used a seven-run eighth inning to beat Eastern Mennonite University, 11-5, Saturday afternoon in the first of the would-be doubleheader. Game 2 was postponed due to rain and will be rescheduled at a time and date yet to be determined.

Before it began to rain, the Hornets (11-8, 4-2 Old Dominion Athletic Conference) entered the top of the eighth inning with a 4-2 lead over the Royals. Lynchburg pitching struggled to find the strike zone, and EMU scored three times on only one hit to take a 5-4 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Lynchburg exploded for seven unanswered runs as junior PJ Alvanos drove home Jackson Harding to tie the game at 5-5. Three batters later, the Hornets took the lead on a fielder's choice from Kinston Carson. The inning was highlighted by a no-doubt three-run home run off the bat of Avery Neaves and then a two-run blast from freshman Gavin Collins, the first of his career, to put the Hornets up 11-5.

The Royals (3-3, 3-3) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base and a wild pitch led to an EMU run. The Hornets responded in the bottom of the fourth as Collins tripled to right field to drive home Neaves who doubled to lead off the inning. Lynchburg then added two more in the fifth then one more in the seventh on a Garrett Jackson solo shot to left field.

Neaves went 3-for-4 on the day as the sophomore homered and drove in three while Collins also homered and went 3-for-5 with three RBI. Collins was a single away from the cycle.

The Hornets received a strong start from Carson who went four innings and allowed just one run on two hits and struck out five. Sophomore Zack Potts came on in relief and went three innings, allowing one hit. Jack Bachmore earned his second win of the year in 1 2⁄3 innings of work as he allowed no runs and struck out three to close out the win. 

Lynchburg baseball will be back on the diamond on Wednesday, March 31 as the Hornets play host to Hampden-Sydney College in another Old Dominion Athletic Conference contest. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Visit Lynchburg athletics' home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network. Click here to sign up for email and text alerts from Lynchburg athletics.

Give Lynchburg Sports a like on Facebook, and follow @LynchburgSports on Instagram and Twitter.

--LYN--