Posted: Mar 31, 2012
The Maroons fell in game number one with a score of 12-5, but saw some bright moments in the game. Roanoke trailed 2-0 after the first inning, but chopped away at the lead as Brian Kluge scored off a Mark Manthe sacrifice fly ball.
The Hornets continued to score in the second and third inning and held a 4-2 lead entering the bottom of the third. Kluge scored again, this time off a Ben Amos triple, his sixth of the season. Amos would also score in the inning, tying the game at 4-4.
Lynchburg regained the lead in the top of the fourth, and continued to build on that advantage by scoring three more through the sixth inning. After six, the Maroons trailed 8-4.
Kluge continued his hot streak in the seventh inning by crushing a pitch over the scoreboard for a solo home run. The homer marked Kluge's first career round-tripper. However, the Maroons were blanked for the final two, while Lynchburg put four more on the board, picking up the win in game number one.
Kluge went four-for-four in the game, tallying two runs and one RBI. Ben Amos hit two-for-four with one run and one RBI. Lynchburg out hit the Maroons 17 to 10 in the contest, but accumulated one more error than Roanoke (2-1)
Lynchburg opened the second contest scoring a single run in each of the first three innings. The Maroons put one run on the board in the bottom of the third as Amos scored off an infield single by Matt Wallman.
Roanoke pitcher, Michael Haslam, and the rest of the defense held off Lynchburg for the fourth and fifth innings. Haslam only faced eight batters in those two innings and gave up one hit. But, the Hornets increased their lead to three, 4-1, after an RBI double from Pat Harris in the top of the sixth.
The Maroons tried for one final surge in the ninth inning, as Manthe, who reached base on an error, was driven in by Nick Sburlati. However, that would be the only run Roanoke would score in the final inning, taking the fall with a score of 4-2
The Maroons return to action on Tuesday, April 3rd as they play host to Guilford at Kiwanis Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
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