The Emory University baseball program opened the 2022 season with a decisive 17-5 victory over local in-state rival Berry College Tuesday afternoon at Chappell Park in Atlanta, GA.
The win marked a monumental achievement for Head Coach Mike Twardoski as he joined an exclusive club by winning his 600th career game. Across his 23 seasons as the helm of the Eagles, Twardoski now owns a career record of 600-296-1.
The Eagles scored three runs or more in five of their eight innings at the plate. Seniors Robby Wacker and Zeke Diamond drove in four runs each with junior Jack Masonis driving in three to headline the Emory offense. Senior Jack Moore went five innings with two strikeouts to earn the win on the mound.
Emory opened the game with back-to-back three run innings including a three-run blast by Wacker in the bottom of the first. Diamond followed with a two-run single in the second as the Eagles built a 6-0 edge through two innings.
The Vikings answered with four runs combined in the third and fourth frames, capped off by a three-run shot by Andrew Pendleton in the fourth.
With a 6-4 lead in the sixth, Emory began to put the game away by scoring four more times, the first of three straight innings with three or four runs. Sophomore Tyler McLoughlin had the big hit in the sixth inning with a two-run double. Diamond followed with another two-run single as part of the Eagles' four-run seventh and Masonis had a two-run triple in the eighth to clinch the game.
The Eagles are back in action Friday night in the first of three against Covenant College. First pitch on Lookout Mountain is set for 2:00 PM.