HARRISONBURG, VA --- It was a cold day for baseball on Sunday, but the Royals were red hot as they steamrolled visiting New Jersey City University in Harrisonburg, 16-2. The men scored all of their runs in the first four innings and rode the wave to the finish.
With temperatures hovering in the upper 20s and winds gusting across the field, the small crowd at the game bundled up to stay warm. What they saw on the field was the look of a hot EMU team which worked out 16 hits and nine walks.
After getting through the top of the first allowing only one runner, starting pitcher Adam Posey (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) led off the bottom of the frame with a single to center and started a three-run rally. Justin Rodriguez (Miramar, FL/Pace) had an RBI triple to right center, and B.J. Mortimer (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) added an RBI single as EMU jumped ahead 3-0.
In the third the Royals extended their lead with a massive two-out rally. The men had the bases loaded but two away, when the first run scored on a wild pitch. The next seven batters reached safely via hits or walks as EMU scored seven runs. Posey had an RBI double, and Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) brought in two runs with a single. After 13 batters in the frame, Eastern Mennonite had the lead up to 10-0.
One inning later, the Royals batted through the order once again as they plated six more runs to go up 16-0. Brandon Carroll (Fredericksburg, VA/Stafford) had a bases-loaded triple with two outs to provide the final three tallies.
The Gothic Knights finally touched up Posey on the mound in the sixth, as they got a two-out double to score their only runs.
Posey pitched seven innings and struck out nine to earn his first win of the year. Ryan Henschel (New Market, VA/Stonewall Jackson) struck out two in two innings of scoreless relief.
Posey also set up the offense well, reaching base all six times he came to plate and scoring three times. McAlister finished 3-4 with three runs and three RBIs. He also walked twice. Mortimer was 2-3 with three walks, scoring twice and knocking in three of his own.
Zach Bowles (Staunton, VA/Robert E. Lee) went 3-5 with a two runs while Carroll had three RBIs. Rodriguez scored three runs.
Eastern Mennonite is now 3-4 after the non-conference win. The Royals travel to Averett on Tuesday for a single game with the Cougars. First pitch is slated for 2:00pm.