March 26, 2008

Lenoir-Rhyne College Baseball Upends No. 15 Erskine, 6-5

Freshman Brian Dice hits two solo home runs to lead the Bears to the win

Hickory, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne College Baseball Team (18-18) defeated No. 15 Erskine College (28-4), 6-5, Wednesday afternoon at Bears Field.

L-R redshirt freshman catcher Brian Dice (Hickory, N.C./Western Carolina Univ.) hit two solo home runs including the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied at five as the Bears handed the Fleet just their fourth loss in 32 games.

Dice finished three-for-three with three runs scored as well as Lenoir-Rhyne avenged an earlier loss to Erskine.

A two-run home run by Chas Anthony (Pickens, S.C.) gave Erskine a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first inning but L-R quickly rallied with three runs in the bottom of the second inning highlighted by senior outfielder J.D. Harrison’s (Winter Haven, Fla./Polk CC) two-run triple.

Single runs by the Bears in the fourth and sixth frames pushed L-R’s lead to 5-3 before Erskine tied it with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the seventh.

However, Dice’s second home run of the game in the bottom half of the seventh proved to be the game-winner.

Anthony finished with three RBI for the Flying Fleet.

Sophomore Chris Henderson (Lincolnton, N.C./West Lincoln HS) improved to 3-3 with the win for the Bears while senior Jesse Beane (Collettsville, N.C./West Caldwell HS) pitched two scoreless innings for his first save of the year. Erskine’s Alex Gilstrap (Easley, S.C.) (0-1) suffered the loss.

Lenoir-Rhyne travels to Montreat, N.C., to face Montreat on Thursday beginning at 2 p.m.

Box Score