LYNCHBURG, Va. — The Averett University baseball team dropped its mid-week bout against the University of Lynchburg 15-5 on Wednesday in non-conference action. 
 
Averett (0-13) took an early 1-0 lead in Wednesday's bout, when sophomore Brandon Hatcher was hit by a pitch to open the second inning and came around to score on senior Andrew Lancaster's RBI double. 
 
Lynchburg, (8-3) gained the lead in the bottom of the second inning with five runs to take a 5-1 edge. 
 
However, the Cougars pulled with 5-4 of the Hornets with three runs in the top of the third inning, scoring on an RBI single to left field by sophomore Jason Maggs and plated two more runs to pull within one run.
 
Momentum shifted in favor of the Hornets in the bottom half of the third as Lynchburg made it back-to-back five run innings to take a commanding 10-4 advantage over Averett. 
 
Lynchburg later benefitted from a three-run third inning to push its edge to 13-4, but the Cougars got a run back in the top of the eighth inning when junior Dante George knocked in sophomore Dawsyn Hock who doubled earlier in the inning on an RBI ground out. 
 
The Hornets, however, plated two runs in the bottom of the inning to hang on for the 15-5 victory. 
 
Offensively, junior Ryan Traylor led the way for the Cougars, finishing 2-3 at the plate, while Hock, Hatcher, Lancaster, Maggs, senior Chase McKinney and freshman Kyle Wilson all tallied hits. 
 
Additionally, junior Garrett Van Allen threw well in relief for Averett, pitching two hitless innings of relief without allowing a base runner.
 
The Cougars return to action of Friday when they travel to Lookout Mountain, Georgia for the first of three games against Covenant College beginning at 2 p.m.