MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - The Berry College baseball team kicked off their home opener in a doubleheader against Emory University. Berry won the first game in dominant fashion once again 13-5, and won their second game 6-4 as they completed a three game sweep to open the season.
Blythe Keisler took the ball for the Vikings in game one. Keisler is a junior transfer from Augusta University. He made quick work of the Eagles lineup in the first, going 1-2-3 to end the inning. In the bottom of the first,
Tanaka Mukono started the Viking offense off with a single through the left side of the infield, proceeding to score on a throwing error to put the Vikings up 1-0 after the first.
Emory responded with three runs of their own in the top of the second to set the score at 3-1. The Eagles' defense was making one too many miscues through the first three innings, allowing Berry to tie the game up in the third at 3-3.
Xavier Byams capped off the hitting parade in the third with a two-RBI single to put the Vikings ahead 6-3 going into the top of the fourth inning.
Keisler's day ended after four innings; his final line was four innings, four strikeouts, and three earned runs.
Brady Greene came in relief for Keisler. In the bottom of the sixth inning,
Garrett Lang hit an infield single, followed by a perfect bunt from Mukono to extend the lead even further to 9-3 in the sixth.
Berry was able to add on three more runs in the seventh inning off of poor defense by Emory to make the score 12-3. Emory totaled seven errors throughout the game, a constant theme during the series. Greene had three perfect innings on the mound before getting into some trouble in the eighth, allowing two runs to make it 12-5..
Riley Uhls then unloaded on a ball to deep left field for a solo home run for the Vikings' first long ball of the season.
Wynn Boren came in for the ninth to finish out game one of the doubleheader, striking out the side.
Game 2:
Freshman
Eric Fountain got the ball in game two of the doubleheader for Berry. The young arm went three up and three down to retire the side in the first. In the bottom of the first, Berry took the lead quickly off a sacrifice fly from Uhls, and a base hit from
Austin Jetmore to set the score at 2-0. Emory quickly responded with two runs of their own to tie the game at 2-2.
Chase Edmonds was able to drive in a run in the second with a fielder's choice groundout to second base. In the following inning, Byams continued his hot bat with a single to bring in two more runs. Going into the fourth inning, Berry was ahead 5-2.
Fountain's day was done after three innings, compiling a line of two runs and three strikeouts.
Jon Strydom entered the game on the mound for the Vikings. Strydom worked a
clean first inning but ran into some trouble in his second inning, allowing two runs.
Cam Welsh entered the game in the fifth, marking his second appearance in the second game of the season, where he was able clean up the action and give Berry a 6-4 lead going into the bottom of the fifth.
Cole Porter entered the game in the sixth inning, looking to get the multi-inning save for the Vikings. Porter was able to shut the door on the Eagles and pick up the save for Berry. The Vikings completed the sweep of Emory and have started their 2026 campaign 3-0.
Berry is back in action Feb. 20th, where they travel to Kannapolis, NC, to play in the 2026 D3 College Showcase. They will face Swarthmore College to open up play.
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