GREENWOOD – Lander's AJ Nunziato hit a grand slam home run, leading the Bearcats to a 7-2 victory in Game 2 of a season-opening baseball double-header against Lincoln Memorial Sunday afternoon at Legion Field. The Railsplitters won the first game, 10-7. (Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box)
Lander broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 2 after Darren Tew walked, Michael Fink reached on an error, and Brian Bender got a bunt single down the third-base line to load the bases.
With two outs, Josh Lovvorn reached on a fielder's choice to push home the go-ahead run. Nunziato followed with his grand slam well over the fence in right center to make it 7-2.
Lincoln Memorial loaded the bases with one out in the fifth. But Bearcats pitcher Casey Downam got a strikeout, then Devin Ridlehoover made a stop of a hard grounder deep behind first base and threw to Downam covering for the final out. The Railsplitters did not threaten in the sixth or seventh.
The Railsplitters scored their first two runs on sacrifice flies by Nick Langley and Ralph Rosas in the second and third innings. Lander scored twice in the second on Fink's RBI single and an error, and the game remained tie until Nunziato's heroics in the fourth.
Lander starter Derek Whaley (1-0) was the winning pitcher, Downam tossed two scoreless innings, and David Glover pitched the final inning and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
Leading hitters for the Bearcats in Game 2 were Bender who was 3-for-4; Nunziato, 2-for-4 with four RBI; and Lovvorn, 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Cody Pack went 2-for-4 to lead the Railsplitters.
Lincoln Memorial took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of Game 1 on Rosas's RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Eric Kitts. Langley hit a home run to right, giving the Railsplitters a 3-0 lead in the second.
The Bearcats loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the second but were held to one run when Nunziato scored as Nate Mangiapane hit into a double play.
Lincoln Memorial extended its lead to 6-1 in the third when Rosas and Ben Adelburg singled ahead of a three-run homer by Kitts.
Lander scored five runs in the fourth to tie. Lovvorn led off with a single to left and scored on Nunziato's double into the left field corner. Robert Skinner singled, Gabe McCann hit a two-run triple into the gap in right center, Mangiapane doubled home a run, and Bud Lanier hit a game-tying RBI single.
LMU scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the sixth when Tommy Casto doubled, moved to third on a ground out and scored on Rosas's sacrifice fly, making it 7-6.
The Railsplitters added three runs in the eighth on a two-run single by Rosas and a wild pitch, making it 10-6.
Lanier homered over the left-field fence in the ninth, his first round-tripper in his Bearcat career.
Leading hitters in Game 1 for Lincoln Memorial were Rosas, 3-for-4 with four RBI; Kitts, 1-for-4, four RBI; Langley, 2-for-5 with a homer; Casto, 2-for-4 with three runs; and Shane Kaufman, 2-for-4.
Lanier, Lovvorn, Nunziato and McCann had two hits apiece for the Bearcats in Game 1.
