HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – For the first time in over a week, the EMU Baseball team played in the friendly confines of Royals Field, hosting Hampden-Sydney for an ODAC doubleheader on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Tigers were not so friendly to the Royals, claiming both games of the doubleheader.
Records: EMU 10-15, 1-9 ODAC | Hampden-Sydney 12-15, 6-6 ODAC
Game One: Hampden-Sydney 9, EMU 7
WP: Noah Lewis (3-2)
LP: Walker Dixon (1-4)
S: Jacob Williams (5)
Highlights
• Following a scoreless first inning, the Tigers clawed out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. In the bottom of the second, the Royals countered with one run thanks to an RBI groundout by Noah Sanderson that allowed Erik Wilkinson to reach home.
• In the third, the Diamond Royals tied the score at 2-2 when Wilkinson singled to right field to bring in Aidan Miller.
• The game settled into a pitcher’s duel for a couple of innings as the two teams combined for no runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
• Hampden-Sydney reassumed the lead with a run in the sixth inning. This began a streak of seven unanswered runs to stake the Tigers out to a 9-2 lead. Five of those runs came in the eighth inning.
• The Royals, however, roared back with five runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth. Michael Duncan got things started in fashion with a two-run home run to left field. A few batters later, Sanderson then singled through the right side to bring in Wilkinson. Jett Cabanban then reached on a fielder’s choice, opening the door for Trevor Selph to touch home plate. Daniel McGinnis capped off the rally with a infield single, sending Cabanban home.
• Unfortunately, the Royals could not complete the comeback in the ninth as the Tigers hung on for the game one win.
Statistical Leaders
Wilkinson: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI
Duncan: 2-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBIs
Selph: 2-for-4, R
Game Two: Hampden-Sydney 18, EMU 5 (8 innings)
WP: Brady Wilson (5-3)
LP: Andrew Wise (1-1)
Highlights
• The Tigers took firm control of game one immediately with eight runs in the top of the first inning. They then tacked on to their lead with one run in the third, five runs in the sixth, and four runs in the eighth that put them up by more than 10, invoking the run rule to end the game one inning early.
• Erik Wilkinson double to right center to bring in Michael Duncan in the bottom of the first for EMU’s first run of game two. The rest of EMU’s offensive production came via the long ball. Dalton Rocke smacked a two-run home to left field in the fourth, Aidan Miller added a solo blast in the fifth, and Jett Cabanban clobbered a solo home run to left field in the sixth.
Statistical Leaders
Miller: 3-for-4, HR, R, RBI
Rocke: 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBIs
Cabanban: 1-for-3, HR, R, RBI
What’s Next
The Diamond Royals will head back on the highway this Tuesday, April 7, with a trip to Washington & Lee. Action begins at 5 p.m. with the conclusion of the game suspended from March 24, followed by the originally scheduled matchup between the Royals and the Generals.
— EMU Athletics —
