Box Score The Emory University baseball team claimed its second-straight University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship with a 2-0 win over Washington University (Mo.) in Sanford, FL on Friday.
The win raises Emory's record to 6-1 in UAA action with one game remaining at UAAs, assuring the Eagles at least a share of the conference championship. Washington University (Mo.) sits a game behind Emory with a 5-2 mark in conference play.
Emory starting pitcher Ben Hinojosa paced the Eagles to the win with seven and a third shutouts innings, scattering nine hits and two walks while striking out seven batters in the game, all on just three days rest.
Matching him throughout the contest was Bears' starter Stephen Bonser, allowing just two runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out six over his second complete-game effort of the tournament.
The Eagles broke through against Bonser in the third inning, after back-to-back errors committed by the Washington shortstop put runners on first and third with one out. Freshman Brett Lake followed with a sacrifice fly to score sophomore Ryan Toscano, and after a wild pitch moved junior Mark Lindemann to second, sophomore Brandon Hannon drove him in with a base hit, the Eagles' first of the game.
The two runs were all the support that Hinojosa would need. Washington threated to score in the fifth inning, putting runners on at first and third, but Andrew Goldstick was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a fly ball to centerfield, for an inning-ending double play.
Hinojosa was lifted from the game after throwing 112 pitches on short rest, giving way to Emory closer Mike Bitanga with one out and a runner on first in the eighth. Bitanga would retire the side on just three pitches, and then work around a leadoff single in the ninth, ending the game with a strikeout.
Hinojosa picked up his second win of the tournament and improved to 2-1 overall this season, lowering his season ERA to 2.23 with the effort. Bitanga earned his third save of the championships and his sixth of the season, and is now just two saves shy of matching the Emory career saves record.
Hannon picked up two of Emory's five hits on the day, while Jay Page, Daniel Iturrey and Lindemann also singled during the contest for the Eagles.
Emory, now 13-7 on the year, claimed its 11th UAA Championship, the most in the history of conference competition. Washington dropped its second-straight game to fall to 12-5 on the year, losing a title-deciding game to the Eagles for the second-consecutive year.
Emory will close out competition at the UAA Tournament at 10:00 AM on Sunday against Case Western Reserve University, with the ability to earn the conference title outright with a win over the Spartans.
