Box Score NASHVILLE – Lipscomb sailed to a 3-0 victory behind a career performance on the mound by
Ike Buxton. The right-handed hurler threw a career-high seven shutout innings allowed just two hits, walked none and punched out a career-high six.
The Lipscomb offense backed Buxton up with a seven-hit afternoon.
Robbie Merced was the only Bison to knock two hits while five other Bisons notched hits in the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Buxton earned his ninth starting nod of the season on Friday. He quickly retired the Redhawks in order in the top of the first to send the game to the home half of the inning.
The Bisons took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Maddux Houghton delivered a one-out double to left center to give Lipscomb early momentum.
He advanced to third on a ground ball and took advantage of a SEMO wild pitch to score the first run of the game.
Lipscomb increased its lead by a run in the bottom of the third. After back-to-back base knocks to lead off the inning, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly allowed another run to score for a 2-0 lead.
The Bisons continued to steadily add onto the lead in the bottom of the fourth. After a leadoff single from
David Graves, a hit batsman and a balk put runners on second and third with no outs for Lipscomb.
Chaz Bertolani added to his season RBI total when he delivered a ground ball that plated a run for a 3-0 lead.
Drew Donathan got in on the offensive action with a single through the left side to put runners on the corners with just one out.
A sharp ground ball ended the inning, limiting the Lipscomb damage as the Redhawks turned a double play.
Buxton continued to be a force on the mound going through the seventh inning, a season high. He fanned a career-high six and walked none before being relieved to start the eighth inning.
The first real threat of the night for the Redhawks came in the top of the eighth with runners on first and second, but
Tyler Drabick forced a lineout to get out of the inning unscathed.
Drabick got into a mini-jam in the top of the ninth with two walks to start the inning, but he got the three outs needed to preserve the 3-0 shutout victory and secure his fifth save of the season.
THOUGHTS FROM THE DUGOUT
UP NEXT
The rubber match of the series with SEMO is slated for 2 p.m. CT Saturday, May 15. Senior Day festivities will start at 1:30 p.m.
