Taking on a team that has already beaten many of your conference rivals is no easy task, and the Royals ran into that predicament Friday afternoon when they hosted Greensboro College. Eastern Mennonite played well, but an eight-run fifth inning cost the men in a 12-6 loss at home.
Although the Pride were not getting extra base hits, they got enough hard-hit singles to score a run in the first inning and chase starter Chris DeWald (Williamsburg, VA/Lafayette) after two frames.
EMU broke through in the third. Chris Rodriguez (Miami, FL/Pace) led off by striking out on a pitch in the dirt but reaching first when the catcher overthrew first base. Dylan Smith (Sterling, VA/Park View) laced a double to right center to score one run and then Michael Wade (Waynesboro, VA/Fort Defiance) singled in Smith to put the men up 2-1.
Jonathan Estrada (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) hit a one-out double in the fourth and scored on Greensboro’s fifth error of the game to push the lead to 3-1.
But the Pride caught the hitting bug in the fifth, stringing together seven hits to score eight runs and jump back in front, 9-3.
The men got one run back in the bottom of the frame, as Wade singled in Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, VA/Mountain View). They scored two more in the sixth when Estrada and Rodriguez each hit doubles. Rodriguez came in to score on an RBI groundout off the bat of Smith to make it 9-6.
But that was it for the Royals. Greensboro plated three more runs to produce the final 12-6 score.
EMU’s 10 hits were centralized to five different players, led by Estrada who was 3-3 with two doubles and a walk. Wade, Rodriguez and Banglesdorf each had a pair of hits, while Smith added one.
Reliever Adam Posey (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) (1-3) took the loss, as he gave up seven runs and the lead during the fifth inning. DeWald gave up one unearned run in his two innings. Andy Richter (Perkasie, PA/Christopher Dock) and Austin Davis (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) each pitched in relief.
Eastern Mennonite slips to 7-13 with their third straight loss. The men return to ODAC play tomorrow, hosting Lynchburg in a twinbill starting at noon.
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