The EMU Diamond Royals came back from a 10 run deficit to win in extras in game one and earn a split against Guilford Saturday afternoon. The Royals move to 10-14-1 on the season and 4-7 in conference play with their next matchup coming on Wednesday as they travel to Bridgewater for a single game at 4:00pm.
EMU 14, Guilford 13 – 13 innings
Guilford (10-16/3-7 ODAC) got on the board first in the second inning with a run then used six hits and an error to score seven runs in the third inning to quickly take an 8-0 lead. John Judy (Shanks, W.V./Hampshire) led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left field for his first of the season. The Quakers would add three more runs in the top of the fourth to increase their lead to 11-1.
EMU started to chip away in the bottom of the fourth scoring two runs when a bases loaded walk brought in the first then Jordan Jones (Saxe, Va./Randolph Henry) found a hole on the infield to single in the second run.
The Royals struck again in the fifth with three runs when Brett Lindsay (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester) hit an RBI double down the left field line followed by a two-run single for Tyler McFadden (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem). Guilford responded with two runs of their own in the top of the sixth on a two-run double, but that would end the scoring for the Quakers.
The bottom of the eighth inning got going when Matt Curry (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) hit a double to left center to spark the offense. A single by Jones then a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out. A fielder's choice brought in the first run then Corey Willis (Fredricksburg, Va./Massaponax) walked to re-load the bases. Another bases loaded walk brought in the second run of the inning just before Lindsay hit a bases clearing double to left center to add three more. McFadden hit another RBI single through the right side to bring home Lindsay to cap the eighth inning scoring.
The Royals sent Ray Tricarico (Culpeper, Va./Eastern View) up to bat to pinch hit in the bottom of ninth and he led off with a double to left field then was pinch ran for by Daniel Scott (Moneta, Va./Staunton River). A wild pitch moved Scott up to third with one out. Zach Roberts (Stuarts Draft, Va./Riverheads) hit an RBI double to right field to score Scott and tie the game sending it into extra innings.
Ryan Brewer (Martinsville, Va./Franklin County) entered the game in the top of the ninth for EMU and finished the game strong holding Guilford scoreless through the final five innings while striking out three to earn the win.
Jones led off the bottom of the thirteenth inning with a single then immediately stole second base to get into scoring position. An intentional walk to Roberts brought up Jaylon Lee (Newport News, Va./Denbigh) who laced a ball to left field that Jones was able to fly around the bases and score on to walk it off for the Royals.
Lindsay finished 3-7 with four RBIs and two runs scored. McFadden was 2-4 with 3 RBIs and Jones finished 4-7 with an RBI and scored two runs.
Guilford 12, EMU 9
The Royals kept their game one momentum rolling to start game two as they put up four runs in the first inning. Roberts got to first on another hit by pitch to bring up Lee who launched his seventh home run of the season for a two-run homer to left field. Tricarico kept it going with a single then Lindsay hit his third double of the day. A fielding error on the next play brought both runners home.
The Quakers started to get their offense going in the top of the fourth with two runs coming from an RBI single. Three more runs in the fifth gave Guilford the lead when Mitchell Stumpo hit a two run double after back-to-back singles.
Another run in the sixth and four in the seventh for the Quakers piled up their lead to six before EMU began another comeback attempt. Curry hit a single in the bottom of the seventh then scored on an error and Roberts hit a sacrifice fly to add another run to cut the deficit to four. Guilford responded with two more in the eighth on two RBI singles.
The first two batters in the bottom of the eighth got on for Willis who drove them in with a triple. Scott put the ball in play to bring home Willis, but that would do it for the EMU scoring as their second comeback came up short.
Lee finished 2-4 with the home run and a double for two RBIs. Jones and Lindsay both finished with two hits.