DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (8-6,6-2 CC) swept Emmanuel College (5-7, 4-6 CC) on Friday afternoon in their 2021 home opener at Grier Field. Erskine won Game 1 8-6 and a Drew Yniesta walk-off home run gave the Fleet a 6-5 victory in Game 2.
 
THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Erskine now leads the all-time series 12-4 which will continue with another doubleheader tomorrow.

HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: After both starters put up scoreless first innings, Emmanuel got on the board first with a two-run home run in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Erskine starter Zach Overholt settled in after a shaky first two innings, and the Fleet offense finally broke through in the third inning. Cody Forster started the rally as he ripped a one-out double, and then Livan Reinoso was intentionally walked to put two runners on and just one out for Drew Yniesta. Yniesta hit what looked to be an inning-ending double play but was misplayed by the Emmanuel shortstop as Forster came around to cut the deficit to 2-1. Then, Dayan Reinoso hit a line drive three-run home run to straight away center field as the Fleet flipped an early deficit on its own and took a 4-2 lead. Tariq Bacon followed a few batters later with a run-scoring single as Erskine put up a five-spot in the third inning. Overholt continued to put up zeroes as gave Erskine five solid innings, and the Fleet added to their three-run lead in the bottom of the fifth. Armando Becerra started the scoring in the fifth inning with a sacrific fly to score Reinoso before Dalton Reeves hit a towering two-run home run to right field as the Fleet broke the game open with an 8-2 lead. That score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh when Emmanuel put up a late rally to make the game interesting. The Lions scored four runs, all with two outs, and had the tying run at the plate, but Toshawn Drew induced a groundout as Erskine held on to win Game 1 by a score of 8-6.

GAME 2: For the second straight game, Emmanuel opened the scoring in the second inning, this time putting up three runs with the help of some sloppy play by the Fleet. But, Erskine answered back with a three-spot of their own in the third inning. Drew Yniesta launched a two-run home run to left center field, and two batters later, Armando Becerra hit his first collegiate home run, a solo shot to tie the game at three. The Lions regained the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth and led 5-3 and the halfway point of Game 2. Erskine struck back in the bottom of the sixth on a Dontae Wade sacrifice fly and a Livan Reinoso RBI single to tie the game at five apiece after six innings. Game 2 stayed tied all the way until the ninth inning thanks to good work by both bullpens, including three scoreless frames by Johnny Hummel. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Drew Yniesta led off with a line drive, walk-off home run over the left center field fence to give the Fleet a 6-5 win in Game 2.

THE PLAYER
GAME 1: Dayan Reinoso had just one-hit, but it was a third inning, three-run home run to give Erskine a 4-2 lead, which they held on to en route to a Game 1 win. Fleet starter Zach Overholt earned the win as he tossed five innings, allowing just two runs on three hits and struck out six.

GAME 2: Drew Yniesta was 4-5 with a pair of home runs including a walk-off solo blast in the ninth inning. Yniesta drove in three runs and scored twice in Erskine's Game 2 victory.

"Drew [Yniesta] has been a big-time player in our program for the past few years and when we needed our captain today, he delivered," Head Coach Mark Crocco said.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine and Emmanuel wrap up their four-game series with another doubleheader tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
 
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