GASTONIA, NC – The Emmanuel Baseball team opened up Conference Carolinas Championship play with a play-in game against #9 seed, King University. The Tornado jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Lions roared back to make it 3-2 in the bottom of the 2
nd. The Tornado had an answer, scoring 8 runs in the 4
th, 5
th, and 6
th innings combined to pull ahead. The Lions rallied with 3 late runs, but the Tornado earned the 10-6 victory.
Ethan Pooler earned the start on the mound for the Lions and got into some early trouble, giving up a double and a two-run homerun to give King the 2-0 lead in the top of the 1
st. Pooler settled in to sit down the final two batters to limit the damage.
The Lions answered in the bottom of the 2
nd, taking a 3-2 lead.
Nick Madrigal walked to start off the at-bat.
Tyler Bradford and
Chaz Encarnacion followed that up with back-to-back singles to load the bases. After a strikeout, Madrigal scored on a passed ball to cut the Tornado lead to 2-1. Up next,
Haidyn McGill delivered a two out single to right center to score two runs, giving the Lions the lead, 3-2.
In the top of the 4
th, the Tornado bats got hot.
Luke Hopper came in to relieve Pooler early in the inning and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits to make the score, 5-3 King.
The Tornado added 2 runs to their lead in the top of the 5
th on 3 hits to push the score to 7-3.
In the top of the 6
th, King added 3 runs to their lead to pull ahead 10-3, but the Lions didn't go away without a fight. After two quick outs,
Matt Layton singled in the bottom of the 6
th to centerfield. The next two batters were hit by pitches to load the bases for
Aiden Malish who delivered a two out double down the left field line to score two runs, cutting King's lead to 10-5.
Both teams threatened in the 7
th, with each team getting two base runners on board. After a walk to
Davis Roesler,
Aidan Feather singled to left field, but a line out ended the at-bat with the Lions trailing 10-5.
After
Joseph Rice sat the Tornado down in order in the top of the 8
th, the Lions rallied in the bottom half of the inning. After Layton was hit by a pitch, Encarnacion singled to right center to advance him to 2
nd. Malish followed that up with a single to right field to load the bases and McGill singled to right to score a run, cutting King's lead to 10-6.
The Lions threatened to score more in the bottom of the 9
th, with two runners getting on base, but a lineout ended the at-bat and the game, with the Tornado earning the 10-6 win.
At the plate,
Haidyn McGill went 2-4 with 3 RBIs, while
Aiden Malish went 2-2 with 2 RBIs.
On the mound,
Ethan Pooler got the nod going 3.1 innings. He gave up 5 runs on 5 hits and struck out 3 batters, walking 3.
Luke Hopper relieved him to pitch 1.2 innings. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits and struck out a batter.
Miles Dodd was next on the mound, throwing an inning and giving up 3 runs on 3 hits, walking a batter.
Joseph Rice closed out the game, throwing the final 3 innings and striking out 2 batters, walking 2.
For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.
