Moore, Laffin lead Bishops to doubleheader sweep of EMU

Rocky Mount, NC - Senior hurler Ben Moore tossed a complete game in game one, and freshman Patrick Laffin delivered a game-winning two-run double in game two to lift NC Wesleyan's baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of Eastern Mennonite on Saturday afternoon at Bauer Field. Moore (pictured) gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits to help the Bishops to a 7-2 victory in the opener, while Laffin's first career hit broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the eighth to give NCWC a 5-3 win in the nightcap. Saturday's games were the 2009 season openers for both squads.

In game one, Wesleyan opened up a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third behind RBIs by Travis Beausoleil, Justin Batts, and Justin Rahm.  Beausoleil drove in two more in the fourth when he blasted a two-run homer to right field, his first of the season, while seniors Justin Tuck and Zollie Woodlief completed the Bishops' scoring with an RBI apiece in the fifth.

Moore (1-0) did the rest on the mound, going the distance and striking out four for his first win of the season. The lone earned run he gave up came on a Ben Wise homerun in the top of the fourth.

Daniel Moore, Beausoleil, and Rahm each had two hits to pace the Bishops, who tallied ten hits as a team in the game.

Wesleyan benefited from two early unearned runs in the second game, and after a successful suicide-squeeze by Luke Harmer in the bottom of the fourth, NCWC took a 3-0 lead into the late innings.

After tossing seven scoreless innings, Bishop starter Jonathan Lucas looked to be in line for his first win of the season.  The Royals, however, got to Wesleyan's bullpen and proceeded to tie the game with a three-spot in the eighth. The rally came with two outs and saw EMU record five straight hits, the last being a two-run single by Dylan Smith.

NCWC skipper Charlie Long then brought in junior John Child (1-0) to record the final out of the inning. After Laffin's blast off the centerfield wall in the bottom of the frame gave the Bishops a 5-3 advantage, senior Jonathan Shearon came in for the save.

Wesleyan recorded just four hits to the Royals' 11 in the game, but it was enough to secure the sweep. Wise again paced EMU with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate.

The Bishops (2-0) return to action on Sunday when they host a doubleheader with Salisbury University. Game one is slated to begin at 11:00 a.m. at Bauer Field.