From Emory University Athletics
The No.-3 ranked Emory University baseball team fell in extra innings, 8-7, to Whitworth University before bouncing back in the night cap, defeating Southwestern University 8-1.
Game 1: Whitworth 8, Emory 7 (10 innings)
After falling behind 2-0 following four innings of play, the Eagles scored seven unanswered runs to take a 7-2 lead in the top half of the seventh inning. Whitworth, however, answered with four unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh and one run in both the ninth and tenth innings to upset Emory 8-7.
Senior Dylan Eisner singled to center to plate junior Chris Young and freshman David Draper to tie the game 2-2 in the fifth. An inning later, Young put Emory ahead 5-2 by hammering a Kelly Fitzpatrick offering over the left center field fence, scoring juniors Brian Hernandez and Wilson Morgan. Later in the frame, senior Chris Slivka doubled to left to plate sophomore Nick Chambers to make it 6-2.
In the seventh inning, Hernandez hit Emory's second home run of the game, this one down the left field line to put the Eagles in front by five runs.
In the bottom of the seventh, Whitworth scored four unanswered runs, all unearned due to an error by junior Philip Maldari to cut the Eagles lead back to one at 7-6.
Working his second inning of relief, junior closer Kyle Monk, who yesterday became the all-time leader in school history with his 19th career save, tried to nail the door closed in the bottom of the ninth. But the Pirates were able to get the leadoff batters on with a single to lead off the frame and then a walk. Whitworth's JT Phelan sacrificed the two runners over to scoring position with a bunt back to Monk. Monk was able to make Jacob Yamane ground out to second for the second out, however Jeremy Druffel scored the game-tying run from third. Monk recorded the final out, getting Jacob Silva to ground into the 6-3 putout to force extra innings.
Senior Ben Vizvary had a two out single in the top half of the 10th but was all the offense the Eagles could muster in their half of the inning.
Facing sophomore Rhett Stuart, Whitworth led off the bottom half of the inning with a double into the right field gap by Anthony Bonilla. Next up, pinch hitter Ryan Bird doubled over the head of Morgan playing left field, allowing Bonilla to score easily from second to give the Pirates the 8-7 win.
Chambers collected three hits, going 3-for-5 to lead the Emory offense while Young was 2-for-5 with three RBIs and Eisner was 1-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs. Hernandez recorded two hits to bring his total to nine in the first three games and had added one RBI.
Junior Luke Emmett went four innings in his first start of the year, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out four. Sophomore Tyler Sprague saw his first action on the mound, going three innings, allowing four unearned runs and punching out five Pirates. Monk suffered his first blown save in 2016 and Stuart fell to 0-1 on the year.
Game 2: Emory 8, Southwestern 1
Emory jumped out to an early lead and that was all that was needed as freshman right hander Billy Dimlow stifled the Southwestern bats as Emory bounced back into the win column with an 8-1 win over the Pirates.
Dimlow tossed 7.1 innings, allowing one run on five with six strikeouts to just one walk in a very impressive debut.
Emory got on the board in the second inning as Morgan led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Young fly out. Following a walk to Vizvary, Morgan raced home on a Maldari sac fly to center to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Hernandez doubled down the left field line to score Jackson Grayson in the third inning to push Emory ahead 2-0 in the third. The score remained at 2-0 until the sixth inning when the Blue and Gold pushed across two more runs to double their lead to 4-0 as David Coble doubled right inside the right field line, driving home Maldari and Young.
Southwestern finally got to Dimlow in the eighth inning, forcing him from the game after getting two on with one out. Senior Paul Merolla allowed one hit in relief of the freshman, allowing one inherited runner to score but escaped with limited damage done.
The Eagles responded in their half of the ninth, plating five runs thanks to three miscues by the Pirates defense to seal the 8-1 victory. Merolla would go on to throw a scoreless ninth for the win.