Baseball hangs with nationall-ranked Molloy

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The Lincoln University baseball team stood toe-to-toe with nationally-ranked Molloy but ultimately fell in both ends of the East Coast Conference doubleheader. It was the ECC opener for both teams.

GAME ONE: MOLLOY 8, LINCOLN 4
Sophomore Josiah Lara (Plant City Fla./Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy) didn't allow a hit through five innings, however, the bough broke a little bit and Molloy scored seven runs over the last four innings.

Lincoln took the lead in the first as sophomore Jefrey Azcona led the frame off with a double, moved to second on a groundout, and score on a sacrifice fly by junior Alex Jones (Bear Del./Appoquinimink). Molloy pulled even in the third without a hit as they recorded two walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch pushed a run across.

After Molloy took the 6-1 lead with three runs in the sixth and a pair in the seventh, Lincoln fought back in the eighth.

Azcona began the rally by reaching on an error and moved to third on a perfectly executed hit and run by freshman Miguel Agramonte (Fallston, Md./Fallston). Both scampered home as Jones reached on an infield single and moved to third on a throwing error. Freshman Wesley Hogan (Washington, D.C./Maret) pulled Lincoln to within two with an RBI groundout.

A walk to sophomore Hilman Truss (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) and a single by senior Carvonte Williams put the tying runs on base, but the rally ended with a long flyout to right.

Molloy gave itself some breathing room with two insurance runs in the ninth.

Hogan recorded his third three-hit game of the season, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Agramonte totaled a career-high three hits on five at-bats, marking the third multi-hit game of the season, while Williams was 2-for-4 with a double.

Lara, 1-2, surrendered five runs – three earned – on just four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out two with four walks.

GAME TWO: MOLLOY 8, LINCOLN 2
Lincoln got another solid performance from its starter, but couldn't muster enough offense in the 8-2 loss in the nightcap.

Freshman Gabriel Sanchez (Anthony, N.M/Anthony), 2-4, allowed just three earned runs on six hits in five innings of action. He struck out two with three walks.

Molloy took a 3-0 lead with a run in the first and two more in the third before LU got on the board. Sophomore Hilman Truss (Hamilton, N.J./Hamilton West) walked with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch, and then scored on a Williams single.

The visitors blew the game open against the Lincoln bullpen, scoring five runs on three hits in the sixth inning.

Sebastian Iguaran (Port Orange, Fla./Spruce Creek) was a one-person rally in the seventh. He recorded a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, stole second and third before crossing the plate on a wild pitch. Two other players – junior Alex Jones (Bear Del./Appoquinimink) and Hogan – had hits.

Lincoln returns to the diamond to complete the three-game series with Molloy noon Sunday at Oxford High School.

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Lincoln University, the nation’s first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU), educates and empowers students to lead their communities and change the world. Lincoln offers a rigorous liberal arts education to a diverse student body of approximately 2,200 men and women in more than 35 undergraduate and graduate programs.