Franklin Springs, GA – The Emmanuel Baseball team hosted Shorter University in a three-game series this weekend. The Lions got off to a good start, taking the series with wins in game 1 and 2, 13-6 and 16-5 on Friday. The two teams finished the series on Saturday, with the Hawks getting the best of the Lions, 16-5. 
With the series win, the Lions improve to 11-16 on the season, 4-11 in conference action. 
 
GAME ONE – 

The Hawks got on the board first in game one, scoring 3 runs on 5 hits in the first inning, to make it 3-0. 

Shorter added a run to their lead in the top of the 4^th to go up 4-0. The Lions responded well in the bottom half of the inning. Ryan Muniz and Jesus Cruz walked to start the inning. Brock Wollin flied out to score Muniz, and Landon Mokris singled to left field to score Cruz, cutting the Hawks lead to 4-2. Hayden Beall got hit by a pitch to advance Mokris to 2^nd and Cameron Hancock walked to load the bases. Drew Knight kept the inning going with a single to left field to score two runs, tying the game at 4-4. 
Shorter retook the lead in the top of the 4^th, scoring 2 runs on a hit and 2 errors to take a 6-4 lead. 

The score stayed this way until the bottom of the 6^th, when the Lions bats got to work. Dobbs Bowden homered to start the inning and Ryan Muniz followed that up with a homerun of his own to tie the game at 6-6. 

The momentum stayed with the Lions as they added 4 runs in the bottom of the 7^th. Drew Knight and Dobbs Bowden both walked to start the inning. Both runners stole a base to put runners on 2^nd and 3^rd. Muniz walked to load the bases and Cruz laced a triple to center field to score three runs, giving the Lions a 9-6 lead. Wollin flied out to left field to score Cruz, making it 10-6, Lions. 

Austin Bourrie led off the bottom of the 8^th with a single to 2^nd base. Dee Oliver doubled to center to put runners on 2^nd and 3^rd.Bowden singled to score two runs, giving the Lions a 12-6 lead. Muniz kept the inning going with a single to left field to score Bowden, making the final score 13-6 Lions.

At the plate, Drew Knight and Ryan Muniz went 2-3 with 2 RBI's a piece. Muniz and Dobbs Bowden went yard for the Lions. 

On the mound, Noah Cantleberry got the start. He went 3.1 innings and gave up 6 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits. He struck out 2 batters. Lucas Meehan relieved him to pitch 2.1 innings. He struck out three batters and walked one. Hunter Parks closed out the game for the Lions and earned the win. He threw 3.1 innings, giving up 1 hit and striking out 4 batters.

GAME TWO   

The Hawks got on the board first in game two, scoring a run on 2 hits and an error in the top of the 2^nd. The Lions responded in the bottom of the 2^nd. Hayden Beall started the at bat off with a double to center field. Zachary Bergstrom walked and Dee Oliver singled to third base to load the bases. Drew Knight kept the inning going with a walk to score Beall and tie the game at 1-1. Ryan Muniz reached on an error to score Bergstrom, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead. Jesus Cruz singled to left field to score Oliver, making it 3-1 Lions. Brock Wollin kept the inning going, getting hit by a pitch to score Knight to make it 4-1, Lions. Landon Mokris singled to center field to score two runs, giving the Lions a 6-1 lead. Beall laced his second double of the inning to score Cole Babich (pinch runner), making it 7-1 Lions. Bergstrom flied out to right field to score Mokris to make it 8-1, Lions. 
The score stayed this way until the bottom of the 5^th inning when the Lions added to their lead. Knight reached on an error to start the inning. Austin Bourrie came in as a pinch runner and advanced to 2^nd on a wild pitch. Muniz reached on an error to advance Bourrie to 3^rd. Cruz walked to load the bases and Babich flied out to score Bourrie, making it 9-1, Lions. Mokris walked to load the bases again, and Beall hit his third double of the night to score two runs, giving the Lions an 11-1 lead. Bergstrom walked and Oliver was hit by a pitch to score Mokris, making it 12-1, Lions. Bourrie singled to keep things going, scoring Beall and Bergstrom giving the Lions a 14-1 lead. 

In the top of the 6^th, the Hawks scored 2 runs on a hit to cut the Lions lead to 14-3. The Lions answered in the bottom half of the inning. Three Lions were hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Bergstrom doubled to left field to score two runs, making it 16-3, Lions. 

In the top of the 7^th, the Hawks scored 2 runs on 3 hits to make the final score 16-5. 

At the plate, Hayden Beall was 3-4 with 3 doubles and 3 RBIs. 

On the mound, Hunter Pirkle got the start. Pirkle went 5.0 innings and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits. He struck out 6 batters and walked 2. Kody Collins relieved him to throw 1.1 inning. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out a batter, walking 2. JJ Neal closed out the game, striking out two batters. 

GAME THREE  

 The Hawks got on the board first in game three, scoring 3 runs on 3 hits in the first inning to go up 3-0. 

After a scoreless 2^nd inning, the Hawks got back to work in the 3^rd, scoring 5 runs on 4 hits and an error to make it 8-0. The Lions threatened in the bottom half of the 3^rd, but couldn't get a run across, leaving 2 runners on base. 

After a scoreless 4^th, the Lions got on the board in the bottom of the 5^th on a homerun by Ryan Muniz to make it 8-1, Hawks. 

The Hawks answered in the top of the 6^th with 3 runs on 4 hits to give Shorter an 11-1 lead. 

In the top of the 7^th, Shorter added 3 runs on 3 hits to their lead to go up 14-1. The Lions responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Jesus Cruz, Brock Wollin and Landon Mokris all walked to load the bases. Hayden Beall followed that up with a sacrifice fly to score Cruz, cutting the Hawk's lead to 14-2. 

In the top of the 8^th, Shorter scored 2 runs on 2 hits to take a 16-2 lead. The Lions responded in the bottom half of the inning. Dobbs Bowden walked to start the inning, and Muniz smacked a 2-run homer to make it 16-4, Shorter. 

In the bottom of the 9^th, the Lions added a run. Zachary Bergstrom started the at-bat off with a double to right field. Bowden followed that up with a 2-out single to center to score Bergstrom, making the final score 16-5, Shorter. 

At the plate, Brock Wollin was 2-3 and Ryan Muniz was 3-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 homeruns. 

On the mound. Will Sherman got the start going 2.0 innings and giving up 6 runs on 5 hits. He struck out 4 batters and walked 2. Zach Evans relieved him to throw 3.0 innings. He gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and struck out 2 batters, walking 2. Gavin Richardson came in next to throw an inning. He gave up 5 runs on 6 hits and walked 2 batters. Hunter Maddox came in next, throwing one inning and sitting down all three batters he faced. JJ Neal faced five batters and gave up 2 runs on 2 hits. He walked 2 batters and struck out 1. Zakk Gibbons came in to face 2 batters and sat them both down. Bubba Luke closed out the game for the Lions, pitching an inning and giving up one hit. 

The Lions will be back in action on Tuesday at 5PM for a midweek game at Georgia College & State University. 

For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.