Playing against Emory & Henry for the first time since 1937, the No. 14 Lenoir-Rhyne Baseball Team moved to 4-0 in South Atlantic Conference play with a 16-5 victory over the Wasps. LR remains the lone unbeaten team in league play and Joshua Lanham improved to 22-5 in his career with five innings pitched and two runs allowed.

The Bears took control from the first at-bat of the game as Blake Bean homered to left for the first leadoff HR since Wade Cuda nearly exactly a year ago. Cuda started the March 13, 2022 game at Tusculum with a bomb. The Wasps drew even with a solo long ball in the bottom of the frame.

Bryce Stober, who came in with eight hits in his last 11 at bats and seven RBI in that span, stayed hot with a 2-run RBI in the top of the second as LR jumped ahead 3-1. Bean would drive in his second run of the game with a run-scoring ground out to score Stober in the bottom of the second.

LR would bust the game open in the fifth. Cole Stanford lashed his fourth home run of the season — and third 2-run HR — and the 26th homer for the Bear team this season. Cuda would drive in a run with a base hit and Stober would add his third RBI with a bunt single to bring in Cuda as LR took an 8-1 advantage.

The Wasps hit another solo homer in the fifth but the Bears answered with an eight-spot in the top of the 6th. Run scoring hits from five different players made it 16-2. Stober would finish with a career-high four RBI and eight different hitters had multiple hits in the 20-hit outburst.

The Bears and Wasps first met in 1925 and last in 1937 but the two now find themselves as league foes with E&H entering their first season in the SAC. LR owns a 4-2 lead in the all-time series.

Lanham moved into a tie for 4th place in program history with his 22nd win. He also continues to climb the all-time strikeout list, the third-most in program history.

These were the first home games of the season for E&H who had played the first 20 away from Porterfield-DeVault field.

Stober notched his 35th career multi-hit game and Cuda garnered his 34th.

Lenoir-Rhyne improves their record to 18-5 overall, 4-0 in the South Atlantic Conference. The Bears and Wasps will conclude the three-game weekend series with a doubleheader Satutrday. First pitch is set for noon.