HARRISONBURG, VA --- Apparently the magic formula for the EMU baseball team is to not score three runs. The Royals split a doubleheader with Penn State-Harrisburg at home on Thursday to move to 7-2. They have scored three runs in both of their losses this year.
Penn State-Harrisburg 6, EMU 3 – 7 innings
Playing in their season opener, the visiting Lions jumped ahead quickly with a two-run homer in the top of the first. Five more hits in the second pushed the lead to 5-0.
The Royals rallied in the third, stringing together four hits to score twice to make it 5-2, but Penn State-Harrisburg got one run bat in the fourth.
EMU got at least one runner on in each of their final four at-bats, but could only manage a two-out unearned run in the seventh to have their five-game winning streak snapped.
The Royals had 10 hits in the game, but also left 10 men on base. Brandon Carroll (Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford) finished 3-4 with an RBI. Kyle Armstrong (Greenville, Va./Riverheads) went 2-3 with a walk and a run scored, while Adam Posey (Poquoson, Va./Poquoson) also had two hits and scored a run.
Jacob Brown (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester) lasted just two innings on the mound, getting charged with five runs to fall to 1-1. Garrett Clower (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) gave up one run in five innings of relief.
EMU 13, Penn State-Harrisburg 5
Despite falling behind after the Lions' first at-bat, Eastern Mennonite took over quickly. The men combined two hits in the second with a hit batter and two PSH errors to plate four runs and go ahead 5-2.
Justin Rodriguez (Miami, Fl./Monsignor Edward Pace) added ripped a two-run double in the third. The Royals then blew the game open in the sixth. Leading 8-5, the first four batters reached safely, plating a run. And RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly later, EMU pushed the lead to 11-5. Joe Hall (Rustburg, Va./Rustburg) brought in the final two runs with a two-out triple in the eighth.
Hall finished the game 3-4 with four RBIs and a run. Rodriguez came in 2-2 with a walk. He scored three times and drove in three more. Posey had two hits and two runs out of the leadoff spot.
Armstrong allowed just one earned run in five innings to get his first win. Aaron Hooven (Carroll, Va./Carroll) picked up a scoreless three-inning save.
After the 7-2 non-conference start to the year, the Royals will see how they fare in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference when they host Emory & Henry on Saturday. First pitch is at noon.