Despite a strong eight innings on the mound from sophomore Ben Hinojosa, the Emory University baseball team fell for the first time this season on Saturday, losing to 24^th-ranked Piedmont College 2-0 at Coolray Field at the Southern Classic.

Hinojosa allowed just two runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out five batters during his eight innings of work.  However, he was outdueled by Piedmont starter Caleb Cochran, who held the Eagles scoreless through seven-and-two-thirds innings on four hits, while striking out seven batters.

The Lions grabbed the early lead in the second inning, when James Moyer hit a one out single, advancing to second on a wild pitch, and scoring on an RBI double from Tim Nunez. 

The score remained 1-0 until the seventh, when Piedmont forced a run across with two outs on a walk drawn by Ethan Miers, who stole second and scored on a single from Matt Youtsey.

The Eagles threatened to tie the game in each of the last two innings.  In the eighth, freshman Brett Lake led off with a walk, and junior Mark Lindemann hit a two-out single to put runners at first and second with one out.  However, Cochran and reliever Ed Cook recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the Emory threat.

In the ninth, senior Kevin O'Connor drew his third walk of the game to lead off the inning, and Daniel Iturrey followed with a single to left field to put two men on with one out.  With junior Maxim Sankey pinch running at first, a wild pitch from Cook moved the tying runs into scoring position with one out.  Once again, Cook struck out back-to-back Eagles to end the threat and the game.

Despite taking the loss and falling to 0-1 on the season, Hinojosa lowered his ERA to 3.95 for the season with the 119-pitch effort.  Cochran improved to 2-0 for the year with the win, while Cook earned his second save of the campaign.

Iturrey picked up two of the Eagles' five hits on the day, finishing the game two-for-four to raise his season batting average to a team-best .400.  O'Connor drew three walks in game for the second time this year, and now has a team-high eight free passes through four games.

The loss dropped the Eagles to 3-1 on the season, while Piedmont remained perfect with a 4-0 record on the 2012 campaign.

The Eagles will wrap up the Southern Classic at Coolray Field on Sunday, as Emory will look to rebound against cross-town rival Oglethorpe University.  The game time has been moved to 1:00 PM, to accommodate potential bad weather.