Two days after breaking a seven-game losing skid, Eastern Mennonite’s baseball team got a pair of key ODAC wins. EMU grabbed a walk-off, extra inning win in the opener and then clubbed their way to a high-scoring win in the nightcap.
EMU 8, Hampden-Sydney 7 – 10 innings
The Royals got things going in the second scoring three runs on three hits. Chris Rodriguez (Miami, FL/Pace) had a two-run single up the middle.
HSC got a pair of unearned runs in the third, but EMU got one back in the fifth when Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, VA/Mountain View) doubled and Dylan Smith (Sterling, VA/Park View) singled him in. The men made it 6-2 in their next at-bat on the strength of a sacrifice fly from Justin Rodriguez (Miramar, FL/Pace) and an RBI double from Banglesdorf.
The Tigers started their comeback in the seventh, plating three runs to trim the score to 6-5. In the ninth, the visitors had runners on second and third with one out, and the Royals intentionally walked a batter to load the bases and set up force outs at every base.
Reliever Casey Harlow (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) coaxed out the ground ball he needed, and EMU got a runner out at second, but the ball was hit too slowly to turn the game-ending double play. A run scored on the play to tie the game, and then a single gave Hampden-Sydney their first lead of the day at 7-6.
Smith drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth, and stood on second base after a groundout to first base. Michael Wade (Waynesboro, VA/Fort Defiance) came through with the clutch two-out hit, doubling to left and locking the score at 7-7. Although the next batter grounded out, the Royals had scored to send the game to extra innings.
Austin Davis (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) took the mound and sent the Tigers down in order in the top of the tenth. Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) led off the bottom of the frame with a walk, stole second and sped his way to third on a groundball. Justin Rodriguez then punched a one-out single through the left side to bring home McAlister for the 8-7 walk-off win.
The Royals banged out 18 hits, led by three apiece from Wade and Chris Rodriguez. Smith batted 1-2, but also walked twice and was hit by a pitch. He scored two runs and drove in another.
Justin Rodriguez was 2-5 with two RBIs. Banglesdorf finished with a pair of doubles. McAlister was 2-3 with a walk and scored three runs.
Despite giving up seven runs, EMU’s pitching staff was only charged with three earned runs. Daniel Stanley (Henrico, VA/Stanley) started and threw 4.0 frames with four strikeouts. Davis was the last of five pitchers and earned his first win with a scoreless inning.
EMU 20, Hampden-Sydney 9
After snapping their four-game ODAC losing streak, the Royals picked up steam in a hurry. They racked up 28 hits in the nightcap, and quickly took over with seven runs in their first at-bat. Justin Rodriguez started the scoring with a two-run homerun and B.J. Mortimer (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) added a two-run single.
The men put up back-to-back three spots in the second and third, capped by a two-run single from Phillip Jordan (West Point, VA/Christchurch) and a two-run triple from Mortimer. Eastern Mennonite was on top 13-4 after three innings.
Banglesdorf shot out a two-run blast in the fourth, as the men scored in each of the first seven innings. Mortimer added another RBI triple in the sixth and Josh Martin had an RBI double.
The game was never seriously in doubt after the first inning, despite the teams combining for 29 runs and 46 hits. EMU won by a final of 20-9.
Jordan was a perfect 5-5 from the plate, collecting four RBIs and four runs. Mortimer finished 4-6 with two triples. He drove in five and scored twice. Banglesdorf also had four hits and missed the cycle by a triple. The senior scored four times and drove in two while stealing two bases.
Every starting position player had at least one hit. Justin Rodriguez and Wade each had three hits with two runs and two RBIs. Smith scored three runs with two RBIs and Chris Rodriguez had two of each.
Harlow started and lasted 3.0+ innings, with Chris DeWald (Williamsburg, VA/Lafayette) pitching a scoreless fourth inning to earn the win. Ryan Henschel (New Market, VA/Stonewall Jackson) threw 4.0 innings with five strikeouts, and Davis again threw the final inning of the game as he did in the first game.
Eastern Mennonite improves to 10-17 overall and 3-6 in the ODAC. The men take their three-game winning streak into Tuesday’s home meeting with rival Bridgewater College. First pitch is 4:00pm.
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