UVa-Wise Uses Long Ball to Blast Past Emmanuel in Baseball Opener

February 8, 2008
Boxscore

Franklin Springs, Ga. – UVa-Wise used the long ball off the bats of Brad Robbins, Jorge Laboy and Matt Duffy to blast past Emmanuel College Friday afternoon in the season opener. Brock Funk fired four strong innings to help the Cavs overpower the host Lions, 14-4, in seven innings.

Laboy (Woodbridge, Va.) provided the big hitter for UVa-Wise (1-0). The senior short stop went three for four with a three-run homer and a career-high six rbi. Duffy (Martinsville, Va.) had a two-run round-tripper and All-American Robbins (Big Stone Gap, Va.) nailed a solo shot. Funk (Fries, Va.) picked up the mound win over the opening four frames before freshman D’Andre Bussey (Va. Beach, Va.) went the final three frames for the save in his first collegiate appearance.

After both teams scored single tallies in the second, Robbins proved what would be the game-winning hit in the top of the third. The designated hitter belted a solo blast as the Cavs took a 3-1 lead. Emmanuel (2-4) pulled back to within one with a score in the bottom of the frame, 3-2.

The Cavs pushed across a trio of runs in the fourth and led 6-3 after four complete. The big outburst of the visiting team came in the top of the fifth. Laboy belted a three-run homer and later Duffy added his own two-tally home run to pull away, 12-3, before eventually going on for the 14-4 win in seven frames due to the 10-run rule.

UVa-Wise will complete its season-opening three-game series against Emmanuel with a 12:00 p.m. twinbill Saturday afternoon.