HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – It was a Battle of the Royals on Wednesday afternoon as EMU Baseball welcomed Regent University to campus for rare mid-week doubleheader consisting of two seven-inning games. EMU proved to be the superior Royals on this day, sweeping the doubleheader by final scores of 17-10 in game one and 13-12 in game two.
Aidan Miller, a senior from Staunton, provided the highlight of the day for the Diamond Royals, hitting for the cycle in game one, with a home run and single in the first and a double and triple in the fifth to cap off the rare baseball feat.
Daniel McGinnis stood out in game two for EMU, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs and coming up just one base hit short of getting the cycle himself.
Records: EMU 12-24, 1-17 ODAC | Regent 17-19, 3-2 C2C
Game One: EMU 17, Regent 10
WP: Keenan Fulwood (1-1)
LP: Caleb Wood (0-1)
Highlights
• Regent lit up the scoreboard first by reaching home on an EMU fielding error in the top of the first to go up 1-0.
• However, EMU countered in a big way with seven runs in the bottom of the first. Following Miller’s lead-off solo home run to tie the game at 1-1, Erik Wilkinson singled through the right side to send Michael Duncan home. Then, with the bases loaded, Noah Sanderson belted a grand slam home run to right field to open up a 6-1 lead for the home Royals. Miller capped things off with his second hit of the inning, a single to left field that allowed Kyler Rodgers to score. With that, EMU led Regent 7-1 through one inning of action.
• EMU added two more runs to their lead in the second inning. Jett Cabanban slapped a base hit through the left side to send McGinnis home. Sanderson continued his productive game one by opening the door for Wilkinson to score on a fielder’s choice.
• Regent tacked on a run via solo home run in the top of the third, but EMU got the run right back in the bottom of the inning when Duncan doubled to left center and Miller reached home. With that, the score was EMU 10, Regent 2 through three innings.
• Regent squeaked out one run in the top of the fourth to make it a 10-3 ball game.
• EMU utilized the long ball to expand their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Duncan got things started with a two-run home run to left field. A few batters later, Cabanban slammed a three-run homer in about the same spot to bring in himself, Hadikell Bruno and Dalton Rocke. Miller then clinched his cycle with a triple to right center, plating both Sanderson and Rodgers to give EMU a sizable 17-3 lead after five innings of play.
• Regent mounted a bit of a comeback by scoring seven unanswered runs across the sixth and seventh innings, but EMU was still able to seal the deal for the game one victory.
Statistical Leaders
Miller, 4-for-4, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBIs (hit for cycle)
Duncan: 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBIs
Sanderson: 1-for-3, HR, 5 RBIs
Cabanban: 2-for-4, HR, 4 RBIs
Game Two: EMU 13, Regent 12
WP: Jackson Hull (1-2)
LP: Will Maloney (4-4)
S: Nash Withers (1)
Highlights
• Regent’s offensive production from the end of game one carried over to the beginning of game two, rattling off seven runs in the top of the first to build up an early 7-0 lead.
• EMU did get three of those runs back in the bottom of the first. McGinnis smacked a 2-RBI triple to right center, sending both Duncan and Miller home. McGinnis then touched home plate himself following a Wilkinson RBI groundout to draw within four of Regent, 7-3.
• But Regent got those three runs right back in the top of the second to go back up by seven at 10-3.
• After no runs were scored in the third, EMU roared with seven runs in the fourth inning. Sanderson singled to bring home both Bruno and Trevor Selph. Trevor Gjormand then slapped a single to right center to bring in Rocke. Two batters later, Duncan aimed a single up the middle to send Gjormand. McGinnis then tied the game with one swing of the bat, sending a three-run home run over the right center field fence. Just like that, the game was tied at 10 through four innings.
• EMU then took their first lead of game two in the fifth innings. Sanderson continued his display of power hitting throughout the day with a solo home run to right center, putting the host Royals up 11-10 over the visiting Royals.
• EMU added some insurance to their lead with two runs in the sixth inning. Selph hit a sac fly to left field, opening the door for Duncan to tag up and score. Bruno then lasered a double down the left field line to bring in Wilkinson and make it 13-10 game going to the seventh.
• Regent scored two runs and got the tying run all the way to second base, but then Nash Withers got Andrew Knox to fly out to right field to earn the save and put the cherry on top of the doubleheader sweep.
Statistical Leaders
McGinnis: 3-for-4, 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBIs
Duncan: 3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI
Sanderson: 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs
Hull: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 Ks
What’s Next
The Diamond Royals will wrap up their ODAC and home slate in 2026 this Sunday, April 26, when they host Averett for a doubleheader. The first pitch of game one is set for 12 p.m., and it will also be the team’s Senior Day with a pregame ceremony honoring the senior class prior to game one.
— EMU Athletics —
