by Erika Plunkett | Feb 20, 2021 | News Slider, Sports, Uncategorized
After starting their 2020 season with the best 6-0 start in the program’s division one history, COVID-19 brought the promising season to an abrupt halt just 16 games in. Now one year later, after so much anticipation for a Friday season debut, winter weather has further extended the unusually long offseason. Despite the delays, Lipscomb has retained the majority of their roster as well as adding a few new key additions, and the hopes of an ASUN championship are just as high. “I feel like our team is better talent-wise, but so is every other team in the country,” said head coach Jeff Forehand. “Everybody is playing with five classes and a shortened Major League Baseball draft and shortened number of rounds, so there are a lot of players playing college baseball that should be playing professional baseball now. Also, the addition of some older transfer guys is obviously going to make our team better, but the same type of guys have transferred to other teams as well. So college baseball across the board is going to be so much better and so much more improved. For us and our team, we are excited of where we are right now and just looking forward to getting back out there as soon as this snow melts off.” For the Bisons, it all starts and ends with preseason ASUN player of the year senior infielder Haddon Adams. Adams is one of the three seniors who elected to take the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA, joining fellow senior infielders David Graves and Brian Jones. “It’s hard to answer with...
by Grant Bricker | Mar 2, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb 6, Ohio State 11 Lipscomb lost the first game of the three-game series 11-6 to Ohio State after the Buckeyes’ bats got hot in the fourth inning. The Bisons started off very hot with a 3-0 lead after three innings thanks to RBIs from junior designated hitter Malik Williams, freshman infielder Knox Preston, and junior outfielder John Shields. Ohio State then put up 10 unanswered runs until Lipscomb finally scored again in the seventh inning. At that point, the game was already out of reach. Ohio State’s sophomore pitcher Garrett Burhenn got the win, and freshman pitcher Logan Van Treeck took the loss for Lipscomb. Lipscomb 5, Ohio State 4 The second game of the series was a lot closer with the Bisons winning on a walk-off single 5-4. This game was much more of a pitcher’s duel, which kept the bats in check. Lipscomb’s junior pitcher Max Habegger’s four strikeouts and Ohio State’s sophomore pitcher Seth Lonsway’s 13 strikeouts were to thank for the lack of scoring. It would be Ohio State who got on the board first with a sacrifice fly and an RBI double to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. However, the lead didn’t last long as Lipscomb came back with three runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth. Senior outfielder Von Watson reached on an error bringing Shields in to score. This was followed by a sacrifice fly from senior infielder Haddon Adams that brought sophomore outfielder Ty Jones home. The last run of the inning was from a balk by Ohio State...
by Grant Bricker | Feb 24, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb’s win streak finally came to an end at the hands of Samford at Dugan Field Sunday afternoon. The Bisons held on for as long as they could, but lost 7-3 when it was all said and done. Despite this being the Bison’s first loss of the year, they still won the three preliminary games in the Turface Classic. Lipscomb 4, Evansville 1 The first game of the Turface Classic started off very slow thanks to great pitching from both teams. Evansville got on the board first with a solo home run to center on what would be Lipscomb freshman pitcher Logan Van Treeck’s only run given to the Aces in his six innings of play. Senior infielder Haddon Adams evened the score in the fifth after Adams’s RBI single brought senior catcher Jarrett O’Leary home. In the seventh inning, Van Treeck was relieved by junior right hander Wyatt Folsom who pitched two scoreless innings to preserve the Bisons’ lead. Folsom was aided by a home run by junior infielder Chris Bashlor to bring the final score to 4-1. Lipscomb 10, Bradley 7 Next up was a winless Bradley squad that gave the Bisons a very good game. Lipscomb’s bats were hot early as they outscored Bradley 9-3 throughout the first five innings. But, Bradley had very productive fifth and sixth innings. The Braves scored on a double that was followed up by three-run homer to make it a 9-6 ballgame. After getting outplayed in the fifth and sixth innings, the Bisons only managed to score on an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to hold on...
by Grant Bricker | Feb 19, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb started off the season with statement wins against the Falcons of Bowling Green State University. While the last two games didn’t match the offensive firepower of the first, overall it was a great weekend for Lipscomb Baseball. “Anytime you sweep anybody in college baseball it’s good because wins don’t come easy. I think they [the team] had the right mindset and were able to finish it up and get the sweep,” said Bisons head Coach Jeff Forehand. Lipscomb 15, Bowling Green 10 Lipscomb was an RBI machine on opening day with all 15 of its runs coming from RBIs. The first few innings were very back and forth until the Bison held the Falcons scoreless during innings 7,8, and 9 to close out the game. Every single player in the Bison lineup recorded a hit. Sophomore catcher Chaz Bertolani, junior centerfielder Maddux Houghton, and senior shortstop Brian Moore combined for 12 of the team’s 15 RBIs. Bowling Green had three balks that turned the game in Lipscomb’s favor as well. Lipscomb 5, Bowling Green 2 Game two of the series was more of a defensive battle for Lipscomb. Lipscomb took control of this game early, only allowing runs in the 2nd and 9th innings. Junior right hander Max Habegger started for the Bisons and played four innings while retiring five batters for Bowling Green. Another solid pitching performance came from Freshman closer Gavin Grubbs, who ended the game allowing no runs and only one hit. Lipscomb 5, Bowling Green 2 The final game of the series was very similar to Game 2 not only because it was the...
by Erika Plunkett | Feb 13, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
Coming off of third-place in the ASUN a year ago, the Bisons will return to Dugan Field on Friday for Valentine’s Day opener against Bowling Green State University. But, it’s a new year for Lipscomb. “Last year’s momentum is probably gone. It’s a new team, a new setup, and a new environment,” said Lipscomb coach Jeff Forehand. Since the last time the Bisons stepped onto the diamond, 10 seniors graduated and five more players moved on from Lipscomb, including pitcher Chris Kachmar, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs organization last June. But despite the changes from a season ago, Forehand is optimistic that this team, which he describes as “gritty,” is ready to step up to the challenge. “I think this team is focused. They [ASUN preseason poll] selected us as sixth, which gives us a little momentum to jump into the season and be ready to rock and roll,” said Forehand. Forehand’s confidence stems from the recruiting class and junior college transfers that he and his assistant coaches have brought in. “We just bring new people in. We knew those guys were leaving – some of them had been around for a long time – so we had been preparing for them to leave for a while now. Now it’s other folks time to step up and do their job,” said Forehand. Not only did Forehand bring in 15 players who can bring an immediate impact to the Bisons team, but he also has a network of sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are ready to take over the reins. “It’s just a chance for those new guys...
