EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Baseball Team (6-6, 1-1 ODAC) opened Old Dominion Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon, splitting a pair of contests with Eastern Mennonite University (8-6, 1-1 ODAC) at Porterfield/DeVault Field. The Royals won 8-7 in a come-from-behind 12-inning contest to open the day while the Wasps salvaged the split with a 10-0 drubbing in the nightcap.
Game One – Eastern Mennonite 8, Emory & Henry 7 (12 innings)
The Wasps got out to a 4-0 lead after five innings. Freshman left fielder Andrew Stockstill (Roanoke, Va.) and junior right fielder Zack Hill (Fries, Va.) each had RBI singles in the fourth while junior catcher Connor Wise (Cookeville, Tenn.) hit a solo shot to right centerfield in the fifth.
After EMU made it 4-1 in the top of the seventh on a solo home run by Jonathan Estrada, E&H pushed the margin back to four (5-1) as sophomore third baseman Bransen Christopher (Hickory, N.C.) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
In the top of the eighth, the Royals unloaded with five runs, taking advantage of three hits and two Wasp errors that would have ended the inning. Estrada had a double to center field that plated two to highlight the stanza.
After Eastern Mennonite made it 7-5 in the top of the ninth, Emory & Henry responded to tie the contest and force extra innings. With two runners on and one out, freshman first baseman Chase Kirk (Knoxville, Tenn.) sliced a double to right centerfield to clear the bases. E&H would strand two runners, however during its bid to conclude the game during regulation.
In the top of the 12th, Kyle Armstrong singled to centerfield and Estrada was able to score the run that would prove to be the game-winner, 8-7.
Estrada was four-for-six with three runs and three RBI while Armstrong, Adam Posey and Ryan McAlister each had a pair of hits. Posey went 7.2 innings on the mound, but Casey Harlow (3-1) picked up the win in relief, throwing the final 4.1 innings as he struck out four.
Emory & Henry was paced by Wise as he went two-for-five with two runs and Kirk with his two hits and two RBI. Senior Jessup Lambert (Fries, Va.) pitched solidly for over seven innings but ended up with the no decision after costly errors in the top of the eighth. Senior Will Dingus (Powhatan, Va.) fell to 0-4 with the loss in relief, despite striking out four.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 10, Eastern Mennonite 0
The Wasps picked up their second shutout in eight days after waiting over a decade as they defeated the Royals 10-0 in game two to salvage the split.
E&H got things started in the bottom of the second inning as Stockstill and sophomore designated hitter Scott Pennington (Chilhowie, Va.) each had RBI singles to make the score 3-0.
After three scoreless innings, Emory & Henry exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Pennington got his first home run of the season as he blasted a drive to left centerfield for three runs, highlighting the frame. Senior centerfielder Eric Houff (Blacksburg, Va.) had a sacrifice fly while junior shortstop Jordan Woullard (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) had a run-scoring triple and Stockstill was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Wasps added a final run for the 10-0 tally in the bottom of the eighth as Christopher scored from first base on a throwing error by the pitcher.
Stockstill went three-for-four with two runs and two RBI while Pennington went two-for-four with five RBI and a run scored. Senior second baseman Sam Line (Inman, S.C.), Houff and Christopher also had two hits in the game.
Freshman Matthew McInaw (Honey Brook, Pa.) picked up the win as he went seven innings allowing just three hits and one walk as he struck out four. Freshman Austin Collins (Morristown, Tenn.) pitched two hitless innings in relief with a walk and two strikeouts.
EMU's Daniel Stanley fell to 2-2 with the loss allowing seven earned runs on 15 hits in just 5.1 innings pitched, despite five strikeouts.
Emory & Henry will remain at home on Tuesday when it welcomes Ferrum College for a 2:00 p.m. contest.
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