LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Tommy Easley and Lewis Saunders both had three-run home runs as the Covenant baseball team defeated Emory & Henry, 17-5, on Friday afternoon on top of Lookout Mountain.
Covenant (3-1) has won three straight. The 17 runs for the Scots are the most since defeating Sewanee 17-8 on March 28, 2016.
Saunders led the offense with four RBIs while going 2-for-5 with a homer. Easley and Alex Gonzalez each had three RBIs. Eight different starters recorded a hit in the contest as the Scots out-hit the visiting Wasps 14-7.
Emory & Henry (1-3) opened up the scoring in the top of the first with two runs. In Covenant's half of the first, the first three batters got on via two walks and a single. Alex Gonzalez hit into a fielder's choice to score John Mitchell. A few batters later, an error kept the inning alive and scored two more runs as the Scots took a 3-2 lead at the end of the first.
The Wasps responded in the top half of the second on a Caleb Haynes single up the middle to knot things up at 3-3.
In the third, Covenant sparked a two-out rally with two walks and Easley went up to the plate and launched his collegiate homer to break open the scoring. Hunter Christian followed with a single and Mitchell brought him around to score with an RBI triple to take a 7-3 lead.
The Scots began to put the game out of reach with their second four-run inning of the game in the fifth to take a 12-4 lead. Mitchell singled in Christian before Gonzalez hit a two-run double to center field to take make it 11-4.
Covenant tacked on two more as Tyler Moore picked up an RBI single to left center and Edmond hit Mitchell in with a single through the right side for a 14-5 lead. Saunders capped the scoring with a three-run homer down the left field line in the eighth to make it 17-5. The home run was the first of Saunders' career.
Moore went 3-for-5, while Mitchell was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and Christian had a 2-for-3 day. The Scots drew 13 walks in the contest, tying a single-game program record.
Matt Reitz (1-1) got the start and win on the mound. Reitz lasted 5.1 innings allowing five runs (four earned), on six hits and walk while striking out four. Covenant pitching only allowed seven total hits in the contest.
The Scots bullpen came in and did not allow a run as Ross Skipper came in relief and got the final two outs of the sixth. Ben Walsh went two innings allowing one hit before Tyler Cox made his collegiate debut with a perfect ninth inning.
J.T. Agosto (0-1) got the start on the hill, but was chased out after only 2.2 innings. Agosto allowed only two hits but gave up five walks, and five runs (three earned) in his first start of the year. Caleb Wallace led Emory & Henry going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Haynes was the only other Wasp with a multi-hit game having a 2-for-3 day to go along with an RBI.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME
UP NEXT
The Scots wrap up the series with Emory & Henry with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 12 p.m.
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