LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Will Cleland went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and the Covenant baseball team tallied 13 hits total as the Scots took the rubber match of a three-game series with Emory & Henry with an 11-5 win on a brisk and windy day.
The two teams split a doubleheader on Friday with Emory & Henry winning 6-5 in game one, while Covenant took game two 7-1.
Covenant improves to 4-1 with the win, while Emory & Henry drops to 2-4.
Joining Cleland with multiple hits was David Lockwood and Perry Rigby, with each earning two base hits. Only one starter in the batting lineup did not record a hit for the Scots.
Covenant got its offense going early on as Scott Gillespie doubled to center field bringing home both Lockwood and Cleland in the first inning. Gillespie would then steal third and move home on a throwing error to give Covenant a 3-0 lead after one inning.
Emory & Henry would strike for a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Bransen Christopher had an RBI infield single and Caleb Rotton followed with a single to center field that plated another run cutting the Covenant lead to 4-2.
The Scots would get both of those runs back in their half of the fourth. Cleland tripled home K.C. Simons and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Lockwood to make it 6-2. Cleland wasn't done as he added two more RBIs in the sixth inning on a single that gave Covenant an 8-2 edge.
Emory & Henry chipped away at the Covenant lead, but Scots reliever Jonah Paul was able to stop the Wasps' threat in the seventh inning. Covenant added two more runs in the seventh and a single run in the eighth.
Alhanon Miller (1-0) picks up his first collegiate win for Covenant. Starter Garrett Kriston went 4.2 innings and allowed just two runs on six hits while striking out four. Paul then closed the door with 2.2 innings of scoreless ball.
Will Dingus (0-1) gets the loss for Emory & Henry as he allowed six runs on eight hits in four innings of work.
Connor Wise finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs for the Wasps who also got two RBIs from Scott Pennington.
Covenant returns to play next Friday (Feb. 22) at home against Tennessee Temple. Game time is set for 2 p.m.