The Emory University baseball program split a doubleheader with the University of Chicago and LaGrange College on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles earned a 15-4 victory over the Maroons in the first game before falling to LaGrange 5-0 in the night cap.
The win over Chicago gave Head Coach Mike Twardoski his 500th career victory in his 17-year career. Twardoski becomes just the fourth head coach in Emory Athletics history to reach the 500 wins milestone joining Jenny McDowell of Volleyball, Penny Siqueiros of Softball and Don Schroer formally of Men's Tennis. Twardsoki also is just the 39th active head coach at the NCAA Division III level to eclipse the 500 wins plateau.
Game 1: Emory 15, Univ. of Chicago 4
Nine different Eagles recorded at least one RBI as Emory had its highest offensive total of the season in a 11-run victory over the Maroons. Junior Brian Hernandez tied a career high with four RBI and went 4-for-5 at the dish. Sophomore Nick Chambers was 2-for-3 and tied a season-best total of three runs driven in.
After falling behind 3-2 in the top half of the fourth, the Eagles regained the lead with back-to-back RBIs from senior Ben Vizvary and Chambers. The Maroons tied the game at 4-4 with a run in the fifth but then it was all Emory as the team scored 11 unanswered runs to close out the game.
Hernandez had big two-run single to put the Eagles in front 6-4 in the fifth before Chambers had an RBI groundout to make it 7-4. In the sixth inning, Emory added two more to move in front by five with a sac fly by junior Wilson Morgan to score sophomore Mitch Kerner. Hernandez plated his fourth run of the contest with a single to center to bring home senior David Coble. Emory broke open the game, scoring six times in the eighth inning without the benefit of a hit as Chicago's pitchers had trouble finding the strikeout all inning.
Junior Luke Emmett tallied his first win of the season, pitching a perfect 3.1 innings in relief of starter senior Paul Merolla. Emmett struck out six of the 10 batters he faced in the outing.
Game 2: LaGrange 5, Emory 0
The Eagles saw their five game winning streak halted as LaGrange starter Eric Morell held Emory scoreless for the first time this season with a dominant 141-pitch complete game shutout.
Junior Hans Hansen was handed his first loss of the year. Hansen went seven innings, allowing four runs (3 ER) on eight hits. He punched out four batters compared to just one walk.
The Eagles put together a rally in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs. However, Morell was able to get freshman Jackson Grayson to fly out to end the ball game. Grayson put a good charge into the ball but the centerfielder was able to track it down for the final out.
Emory returns to action on Tuesday with a top-10 showdown with #3 Birmingham Southern on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 7:00 PM EST in Birmingham, Ala.