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Baseball Claims 13-6 Upset Win over Ninth-Ranked Birmingham Southern

Emory University broke a 6-6 tie with a seven-run seventh inning on Wednesday night, as the Eagles earned a 13-6 victory over ninth-ranked Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, AL.

Emory capitalized on a 15-hit attack, as the Eagles received at least a hit, an RBI and a run from eight different starters.  Freshman outfielder Brandon Hannon and junior shortstop Jonathan Reilly each had a team-high three hits and three RBIs during the game.

After falling behind 1-0 after one inning, the Eagles answered back with their first of two big innings in the game, scoring five runs in the top of the second frame.  Sophomore Daniel Iturrey started the scoring in the inning with an RBI double, scoring Reilly, followed by RBI singles from Ryan Jones, Hannon, Kevin O'Connor and Jay Page.  The last three runs of the inning were all scored with two outs.

After the Panthers answered back with two runs in the bottom of the second, the remained 5-3 until the Eagles extended their lead in the top of the fifth inning, as Hannon singled in Jones with two outs, putting the Eagles on top by three runs.

Birmingham Southern would again respond, tying the game in the sixth inning on a solo home run and a two run single.  The Eagles escaped further damage in the inning, as freshman Keith Gordon struck out a batter with one out and the bases loaded, and Ryan Orlovsky (who entered the game for Gordon) induced a ground out to end the threat.

Emory wasted little time in regaining the lead.  After Reilly and Iturrey both singled to start the inning, and catcher Jared Welch walked with one out to load the bases, Hannon drew a four-pitch walk to score the go-ahead run for Emory.  Senior Andrew Cohn followed with a two-RBI single, and with two outs, Patrick Riebsame was able to lay down an RBI bunt to bring across a fourth run.  Batting with the bases loaded, Reilly capped off the Eagles' inning with a three-run hit, giving Emory a 13-6 lead it would hold for the rest of the game.

Orlovsky earned his first win as an Eagle, improving to 1-0 on the season, in a game that was a team effort for Emory on the mound.  Junior Connor McGuiness started and allowed three runs in an inning and two third, before giving way to freshman Matt McMahon, who allowed one earned run (three total runs) on five hits over the next three and two thirds innings.  Gordon (a third of an inning), Orlovsky (one inning), freshman Jason Edwards (an inning and a third) and sophomore Mike Bitanga (an inning) each had scoreless relief outings for the Eagles.

Iturrey finished the game two-for-four at the plate with a double, two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base, as the sophomore extended his hitting streak to 10 games.  O'Connor and Jones each had two hit games as well for Emory.

The Panthers' Jordan Burchett took the loss in relief, as Birmingham Southern dropped to 20-5 on the season with the loss.  The win was the first against a ranked opponent this season for Emory, and the team's first since the Eagles defeated 26th-ranked Methodist University on April 11, 2010.  It was the highest-ranked opponent Emory has defeated since April 7, 2008, when the Eagles were triumphant against then fifth-ranked Piedmont College.

Emory will return to Chappell Park on Friday, opening up a three-game weekend series against Hendrix College at 3:00 PM.

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Players Mentioned

Mike Bitanga

#26 Mike Bitanga

RHP
6' 0"
Sophomore
Andrew Cohn

#7 Andrew Cohn

INF
6' 0"
Senior
Jason Edwards

#37 Jason Edwards

LHP
6' 3"
Freshman
Keith Gordon

#15 Keith Gordon

LHP
6' 2"
Freshman
Brandon Hannon

#13 Brandon Hannon

OF
5' 10"
Freshman
Connor McGuiness

#9 Connor McGuiness

LHP
6' 2"
Junior
Matt McMahon

#44 Matt McMahon

RHP
6' 0"
Freshman
Kevin O

#1 Kevin O'Connor

2B
5' 8"
Junior
Ryan Orlovsky

#25 Ryan Orlovsky

RHP
5' 11"
Junior
Jay Page

#34 Jay Page

1B
6' 2"
Junior
Jonathan Reilly

#12 Jonathan Reilly

INF
6' 3"
Junior
Jared Welch

#5 Jared Welch

C
6' 1"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Mike Bitanga

#26 Mike Bitanga

6' 0"
Sophomore
RHP
Andrew Cohn

#7 Andrew Cohn

6' 0"
Senior
INF
Jason Edwards

#37 Jason Edwards

6' 3"
Freshman
LHP
Keith Gordon

#15 Keith Gordon

6' 2"
Freshman
LHP
Brandon Hannon

#13 Brandon Hannon

5' 10"
Freshman
OF
Connor McGuiness

#9 Connor McGuiness

6' 2"
Junior
LHP
Matt McMahon

#44 Matt McMahon

6' 0"
Freshman
RHP
Kevin O

#1 Kevin O'Connor

5' 8"
Junior
2B
Ryan Orlovsky

#25 Ryan Orlovsky

5' 11"
Junior
RHP
Jay Page

#34 Jay Page

6' 2"
Junior
1B
Jonathan Reilly

#12 Jonathan Reilly

6' 3"
Junior
INF
Jared Welch

#5 Jared Welch

6' 1"
Freshman
C
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