The Emory University baseball team outlasted Brandeis University, 12-11, in an offensive slugfest instant classic Friday afternoon at Chappell Park in Atlanta.
By virtue of the win and a Case Western Reserve loss at the hands of WashU in Cleveland Friday, the Eagles pulled even with the Spartans atop the UAA standings at 9-4 with three games remaining. Emory, in search of its first UAA title since 2015, improves to 22-13 overall. The loss makes Brandeis 16-9 on the year and pushes them three games back in the conference at 6-7.
The Eagles withstood three separate rallies by the visiting Judges to win the opener, headlined by a go-ahead base hit by sophomore Walker Woolf in the eighth inning that broke an 11-11 game to give Emory the win.
Woolf finished the afternoon with three hits, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and was one of four Eagles with at least two runs driven in. Juniors Ellis Schwartz and Henry Pelinski each recorded huge days at the plate, collecting three hits and three RBI apiece.
The Emory offense was clicking from the get-go scoring at least one run in each of the first five innings of the game, starting a four-run outburst in the bottom of the first which included a two-run single by junior Jack Masonis.
Schwartz and sophomore Tyler McLoughlin accounted for three of the Eagle runs over the next three innings with home runs. Schwartz had a two-run blast in the second followed by an absolute tape-measure shot by McLoughlin to lead off the fourth that cleared the trees beyond the right field fence.
Trailing 9-3 entering the fifth, Brandeis got back in the game with five runs before the Eagles countered with a two-run triple by Pelinski in the home half of the inning.
The Judges once again answered, this time with three, two-out runs in the seventh, tying the game with a two-run double by Luke Hall to make the score 11-11.
Neither side scored in the following half innings prior to the Eagles bats catching fire again the eighth. Pelinski and McLoughlin led off the inning with a single and a walk and would advance a base on a sac bunt from Masonis. Freshman Jack Halloran appeared to give the Eagles the lead with a slow chopper to the side of the mound but Judges' hurler Jakob Newman made an impressive play in the field to throw out Pelinski at the plate who tried to advance home.
That brought Woolf to the plate with two outs with runners on the corner. Woolf worked the count to 3-1 before depositing the game-winning hit with a looping liner to center to score McLoughlin with the eventual game-winning run.
After taking the lead, junior Aaron Mishoulam slammed the door in the ninth, pitching a perfect frame and freezing Sam Nugent for the final out to record his third save of the year.
The two sides continue the series Saturday afternoon with a double dip getting underway at 12:00 PM in Atlanta. Prior to first pitch of game one the Eagles will honor their senior class with a special on-field ceremony.