HARRISONBURG, VA --- The surprising Royals continued their improvement Saturday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader from Cairn University. EMU had a combined 26 hits and walks in the two wins, as they improved to 5-5 on the year.
EMU 6, Cairn 4
Zach Bowles (Staunton, VA/Robert E. Lee) had a two-run single to put the men ahead 2-1 in the second. After the Highlanders scored three in the third, Eastern Mennonite came right back with two more in the bottom of the frame to lock the game up at 4-4.
One inning later, Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) put the Royals back in front with a sacrifice fly. Jonathan Estrada (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) added an unearned run in the fifth for a little breathing room.
Starter Casey Harlow (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) held Cairn in check on their final three at-bats, holding on for the seven inning complete game. Harlow (2-1) struck out eight batters and allowed three earned runs.
The offense had six hits and five walks, as each McAlister, Adam Posey (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) and B.J. Mortimer (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) had a hit and a walk. Each scored a run as well.
EMU 11, Cairn 3
After a scoreless first, the Royals broke through in a big way in the second. The men sent 12 batters to the plate, got six hits, two walks and one hit batsman to bring in seven runs. Kyle Armstrong (Greenville, VA/Riverheads), Phillip Jordan (West Point, VA/Christchurch) and McAlister each had two-run singles.
The Highlanders scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but EMU got them all back and more in the sixth. McAlister brought in one with a bunt single, and Justin Rodriguez (Miramar, FL/Pace) followed with a three-run homer to left, providing the final 11-3 margin.
Chris DeWald (Williamsburg, VA/Lafayette) (1-1) struck out nine batters in six innings of work. Andrew Romano (Chesterfield, VA/Midlothian) whiffed two sticks in the seventh.
The Royals had 13 hits in the seven-inning game and five men each had two. McAlister was 2-4 with three RBIs and a run. Jordan was 2-2 and was hit by a pitch. He also scored twice and knocked in a pair of runs.
EMU stays at home for another seven-inning twinbill on Sunday, hosting Mount Saint Vincent. First pitch with the Dolphins is at 1:00pm.