SALISBURY, N.C. – The Limestone University baseball team was knocked to the losers bracket on Saturday morning, as Catawba mounted a late rally to defeat the Saints 5-2 at Newman Park. Limestone held a one-run lead entering the final frame, but a four-run ninth inning by Catawba ended the Saints' hope of an upset.
Key Moments:
After five scoreless innings, Limestone finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Senior Ben Partridge led off the frame with a solo blast to left field, igniting the Saints' offense. Just two batters later, Sion Barnette added to the momentum with a home run of his own, sending a shot over the left-center wall to give Limestone a 2-0 advantage.
On the mound, Kemper Nix delivered one of his strongest outings of the season. The right-hander held the high-powered Catawba lineup scoreless through six innings, scattering just four hits while striking out four. He ran into trouble in the seventh, giving up an RBI double that cut Limestone's lead in half at 2-1, but Marty Neal came on in relief to limit further damage.
The Saints held Catawba at bay again in the eighth and appeared poised to close out the upset, but the ninth inning unraveled quickly. A hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch put the tying run in scoring position, and a string of well-placed hits—including a two-run double by Ty Hubbard—flipped the script as Catawba surged ahead 5-2. Tucker McSwain entered in relief, but the damage was done.
Despite a three-hit game from Partridge, the Saints were unable to respond in the bottom half of the inning, sealing the comeback win for Catawba.
Up Next:
The Saints await the winner of Game Two between Coker and Newberry. The game, weather permitting, is scheduled for 6:00 PM Saturday night.