While Wednesday started sunny, the cloudy skies by the end of the EMU baseball game matched the scoreboard, as visiting Shenandoah powered past the Royals, 14-4.
With a strong wind blowing out to left, the teams combined for 32 hits, three homeruns, and a few impressive long foul balls.
The Hornets, ranked No. 21 in the nation, started by playing small ball, opening with four straight singles off starter Andy Richter (Perkasie, PA/Christopher Dock). Two runs scored as the visitors jumped on top.
Eastern Mennonite tied things up in the second. Designated hitter Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, VA/Mountain View) led off with a powerful bomb which travelled well over 400 feet to straight-away center field. The ball actually bounced off the batter’s eye screen and was correctly called a round tripper after a few minutes of discussion.
The men scored another run on a double steal with runners on the corner and two away, knotting the score at 2-2.
But the Hornets had an answer in their next at-bat, getting a two-out, two-run longball to left field. With two more runs in the fifth, SU grabbed a 6-2 edge.
After giving up three more in the top of the seventh, the Royals finally got back into the scoring column. EMU loaded the bases with two away and Banglesdorf came through again with a two-run single, cutting the lead to 9-4.
Shenandoah erased any thoughts of a comeback with another five runs in the eighth, providing the final 14-4 tally in the eight-inning darkness-shortened game.
Eastern Mennonite had 12 hits in the loss, but also left 11 runners on base. Banglesdorf finished 2-4 with three RBIs. Michael Wade (Waynesboro, VA/Fort Defiance) was 3-3 with a walk and a run scored. Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) also had three hits.
The defense was again solid in the field, as the Royals went their second straight game without committing an error. EMU has just four errors in six games this year.
Richter lasted four-plus innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits. He slides to 0-2. Joshua Martin (Crozet, VA/Western Albemarle) was tagged for seven runs on 3-1/3 innings, while Chris DeWald (Williamsburg, VA/Lafayette) was charged for one run on his 2/3 inning.
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