NASHVILLE - Lipscomb Baseball earned their first win of the season in the final matchup of their 2024 season-opening series with Ohio University. The Bisons had three multi-run innings Sunday afternoon and held a Bobcats ball club that scored a combined 23 runs in the first two games of the series to just three runs in game three. 

Similar to game two, the Bobcats wasted no time getting on the board, as Gideo Antle sent a solo home run over left field wall to take a 1-0 lead. Antle went back-to-back on the Bisons, sending of another pitch over the left field fence in his next at-bat in the third frame to give the Bobcats a two-run advantage. 

Lipscomb got the bats rolling in the fourth inning, starting with a solo home shot from Trace Willhoite, his first of the year, and then a two-run shot from Mason Lundgrin to jump out in front 3-2. 

The Bisons extended their lead in the fifth with two runs, as an Austin Kelly ground out brought Alex Vergara around, who walked in the first at-bat of the half inning. Later in the order, a single from third basemen Carter Richey, plating Willhoite for the second time in the game. 

After being held scoreless for four straight innings, the Bobcats broke the silence with a run on a fielding error in the eighth. However, Vergara put the finishing touches on the win, belting a three-run rocket, his second of the season, over the left-center field wall and out of the stadium to extend the Bisons' lead five runs (8-3).

Righty Ryan Kutz was called up to close the game, replacing Collin Witzke, who game in relief in the sixth inning and pitched three effective innings, and secured the final three outs to end the weekend. 

POSTGAME NOTES

• Noah Boughton capped off the series with a three-hit day, giving him six for the series to lead the team. 
• Graduate left-handed pitcher Michael Dunkelberger (1-0) took home the win on the mound after pitching five complete innings in a starting role. Dunkelberger allowed just six hits and two earned runs while tossing five strikeouts.
• Collin Witzke saw two complete innings of work, allowing no earned runs with four strikeouts. 
• Lipscomb hit seven home runs in the series with Ohio. The Bisons hit 109 home runs in 2023, the 15th most in the country last year. 

UP NEXT
Lipscomb will host Western Kentucky in the first midweek showing of the season on Tuesday, Feb. 20, with a 3 p.m. CT first pitch at Ken Dugan Field. For more information on Bisons Baseball, check lipscombsports.com or follow the team's social media accounts (@lipscombbaseball on IG and @BisonBaseball on X).