MURFREESBORO, NC – The Emmanuel Baseball team traveled to Murfreesboro, NC this weekend to face Chowan University in conference action. The Lions got on the board first, scoring 7 runs in the 2^nd inning to take the lead. The teams traded runs the rest of the way, with the Hawks making a run late. The Lions took game one, 19-11. The Lions bats stayed hot in game two, earning a 16-0 win in which Ethan Pooler threw a complete game with 6 strikeouts. The Lions stayed in control in game three, earning an 8-2 win behind a big day at the plate for Aidan Feather and 8 strikeouts in 6 innings of work for Logan Taylor. With the sweep, the Lions improve to 10-12 overall on the season, 7-8 in conference play. 
 
GAME ONE

 After a scoreless first inning, the Lions got on the board in the 2^nd inning. Conor Goltermann started off the inning with a walk. Noah Gutillo was hit by a pitch to put runners at 1^st and 2^nd and Alex Espinoza delivered with a single to load the bases. A sacrifice fly scored a run, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead. Jaden Madrid reached on a throwing error to score a run, making it 2-0. Seth Ranta kept the inning going with a bases clearing homerun to push the Lions ahead, 5-0. After Aidan Feather was hit by a pitch, Reese Kingeter homered to centerfield to score Feather, giving the Lions a 7-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, the Hawks responded well scoring 5 runs on 4 hits and 2 errors to cut the Lions lead to 7-5. 

Haidyn McGill singled to start off the 3^rd inning and Madrid followed that up with a single to the right side. A single by Ranta loaded the bases and Feather was hit by a pitch to score a run, giving the Lions an 8-5 lead. Singles by Kingeter and Nick Madrigal scored 2 runs to make it 10-5, Lions. A sacrifice fly by Goltermann scored Feather to make it 11-5, Lions. Dee Oliver hit into a fielder's choice to score Kingeter, giving the Lions a 12-5 lead to end the top of the 3^rd. 

The Lions bats stayed alive in the top of the 4^th. Madrid and Ranta walked to start off the at-bat and a double from Feather scored two runs, giving the Lions a 14-5 lead. 

In the top of the 5^th, Oliver was hit by a pitch to start things off. Alex Espinoza singled up the middle and advanced to 2^nd on the throw, scoring Oliver to give the Lions a 15-5 lead. 

Oliver and McGill walked, with Espinoza getting hit by a pitch to start off the 6^th with the bases loaded. Madrid was hit by a pitch to score Oliver, making it 16-5, Lions. Espinoza scored on a wild pitch to make it 17-5, Lions. In the bottom of the 6^th, the Hawks scored 3 runs on 3 hits to cut the Lions lead to 17-8. 

After a scoreless 7^th, the Lions got back to work. Ranta started things off with a 2-out single. A double by Feather scored Ranta to put the Lions up 18-8 and a single by Stephen Clark scored Feather to make it 19-8, Lions. 

The Lions threatened to score in the top of the 9^th, collecting 2 hits but couldn't get another run across. In the bottom half of the inning, the Hawks scored 3 runs on 4 hits to make the final score 19-11.

Seth Ranta went 3-3 at the plate with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored, while Nick Madrigal went 4-6 and Aidan Feather went 2-4 with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored.

Hunter Pirkle got the start on the mound going 5.0 innings. He gave up 8 runs (6 earned) on 8 hits. He walked 4 batters and struck out 4. Joseph Rice relieved him to throw 2.0 innings. He gave up 4 hits and struck out 2 batters. Jacob Bodkin closed the game out, pitching 2.0 innings and giving up 3 runs on 4 hits. He struck out a batter and walked one.

GAME TWO

After a scoreless first, the Lions got to work in the top of the 2^nd inning. Nick Madrigal started off the at-bat with a single to left field. A double to right center for Conor Goltermann advanced Madrigal to third and a sacrifice fly scored a run to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. After Alex Espinoza walked, Haidyn McGill hit into a fielder's choice to advance Goltermann to 3^rd, with Espinoza getting thrown out at 2^nd. Goltermann scored on a balk, and McGill advanced to 3^rd, with a single by Jaden Madrid bringing him home to make the score 3-0, Lions. 

The Lions added to their lead in the top of the 4^th inning. After Goltermann walked, Dee Oliver singled to first to advance Goltermann to 2^nd. The runners advanced on a passed ball and Jaden Madrid delivered a single to right field to score two runs, giving the Lions a 5-0 lead. 

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Lions got back to work in the top of the 6^th. Oliver started things with a single to left field. Haidyn McGill singled through the left side and both runners stole a base to set up an opportunity for Madrid. He singled up the middle to score 2 runs, giving the Lions the 7-0 lead. A walk to Stephen Clark put runners on 1^st and 2^nd and a throwing error scored Madrid to put the Lions up 8-0. A single for Aidan Feather scored McCoy to make it 9-0 Lions. After Reece Kingeter was hit by a pitch, Madrigal doubled to left center to score two runs, giving the Lions an 11-0 lead. After a walk to Goltermann, Oliver doubled to left to score two runs, pushing the score to 13-0, Lions. 

In the top of the 7^th, the Lions bats kept swinging. McGill walked to start off the at bat and Madrid was hit by a pitch to put runners on 1^st and 2^nd. Nick McKoy was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Davis Roesler delivered a double down the left field line to score two runs, giving the Lions the 15-0 lead. A sacrifice fly scored McKoy to make it 16-0 which would be the final score.

At the plate, Jaden Madrid went 3-4 with 5 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Dee Oliver went 3-3 at the plate with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

Ethan Pooler got things started on the mound, pitching a complete game and giving up 5 hits in 7.0 innings. He struck out 6 batters and walked 2. 

GAME THREE

The Lions picked up where they left off in game two, getting on the board early in game three with a homerun by Aidan Feather to make it 1-0, Lions. 

In the bottom of the 2^nd, the Hawks responded with a run on 2 hits to cut the Lions to tie the game at 1-1.

The Lions kept things going in the 3^rd. Jaden Madrid was hit by a pitch to start off the inning and advanced to 3^rd on a wild pitch. A single from Feather scored a run to give the Lions a 2-1 lead. 

In the top of the 3^rd, Conor Goltermann got things started with a double to right center. Oliver singled to advance Goltermann to third and he scored on a groundout to make it 3-1, Lions. Madrid and Seth Ranta were both hit by a pitch to load the bases and Feather singled through the left side to score two runs, making the score 5-1 Lions. 

Nick Madrigal homered to start off the 5^th inning to push the Lions lead to 6-1. 

The Lions threatened in the top of the 6^th, collecting two hits but not scoring a run. 

After a scoreless few innings, the Lions added to their lead in the top of the 9^th. After a walk to Madrid, Parker Westbrook was hit by a pitch. Feather doubled down the left field line to score two runs, making the score 8-1. The Hawks scored a run on 2 hits in the bottom half of the inning to make the final score 8-2, Lions. 

At the plate, Aidan Feather went 5-6 with 6 RBIs and a run scored. 

On the mound, Logan Taylor got the start going 6.0 innings. He gave up a run on 3 hits and struck out 8 batters, walking 3. Luke Hopper relieved him to throw 2.0 innings. He gave up a hit and struck out 2 batters. Zach Evans closed out the game, throwing an inning and striking out a batter, giving up a run on 2 hits.

Next up, the Lions will host Middle Georgia State University on Tuesday at 5PM. 

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