The EMU Diamond Royals scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to walk away with a 16-12 win over Southern Virginia Wednesday afternoon. For the second time in as many games this contest was called early after just the seventh inning due to loss of daylight.

The win moves the Royals back to an even record of 4-4-1 and the Knights fall to 2-2. EMU plays at home again on Saturday, March 2, in a seven inning doubleheader against SUNY Oneonta beginning at noon.

After giving up three runs in the first inning, the Royals scratched a run in the first before scoring six in the second inning highlighted by a two-run home run by Jaylon Lee (Newport News, Va./Denbigh) to jump in front 7-1.

The Knights would chip away at the Royals advantage while scoring nine runs over five innings before taking the lead.

The Royals trailed 12-9 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. The first three batters found their way on base before a passed ball allowed the first run to score. Two more hit batsmen later another run came in. Back-to-back groundouts to the third baseman who got the runners coming home put two outs on the board, but left the bases loaded with EMU down by one run.

Zach Roberts (Stuarts Draft, Va./Riverheads) walked in the tying run then Brett Lindsay (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester) hit a two-run single to left field giving the Royals the lead back. Lee followed with an RBI double that brought in Roberts, and Lindsay who scored on a throwing error.

Ethan Mathews (Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) entered to pitch in relief getting the last two outs in the seventh to earn his first collegiate win.

Lee finished 3-4 scoring twice with a home run, double, and four RBI. Lindsay finished 3-5 scoring twice with three RBI. Jordan Brake (Roanoke, Va./Lord Botetourt) and Billy Quinn (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) both had two hits.

Cole Critchfield, Canon Anderson, and Mitch Tyse each hit a home run and combined 10 RBI for Southern Virginia.