Staff report
HICKORY — Lenoir-Rhyne beat Catawba 5-3 on Friday in the opener of a marquee Division II weekend series.
Both teams are nationally ranked. The Indians (11-3, 6-1) came in ranked third, while the Bears (11-1, 6-1) are ranked 10th.
Brandon Crabtree doubled and tripled and score twice for the Indians. Hunter Atkins and Nathan Chrismon (South Rowan) had two hits.
Colt Wilkins pitched into the seventh and struck out nine, but took his first loss of the season.
It was 3-all heading to the bottom of the fifth. That’s when L-R scored a decisive run.
Catawba will look to bounce back on Saturday in a doubleheader that starts at 5 p.m.
Catawba 100 110 000 — 3
L-R 030 010 100 — 5
L — Wilkins (3-1).
