The Emory University baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with Covenant College, winning the early contest 7-2, and dropping a close 5-4 decision in the late game.  Saturday also marked 'Senior Day' at Chappell Park, as the Eagles honored their seven graduating players.

With the split, the Eagles are now 21-10 on the season, after taking two of three from Covenant over the weekend.  The Scots are now 16-15 for the campaign.

One of Emory's seven seniors, pitcher Paul Schwendel, was the start of the early game, recording his second complete game in as many outings, carrying a shutout through eight and two-thirds innings before allowing a pair of unearned runs.  Schwendel matched his career high with 11 strikeouts, scattering nine hits without walking a batter.

Schwendel lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.63, while improving to 4-3 on the campaign.

Senior Jay Page provided a two-run double during the game, while freshman Brett Lake and junior Daniel Iturrey each picked up two hits to key the Emory attack.  The Eagles scored four runs in the third and three more in the seventh to account for their scoring in the game.

In the late contest, Emory led most of the way, as sophomore Ben Hinojosa limited Covenant to just three runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out two.  Meanwhile, the Eagles scored a run in the first on a Jared Welch ground out, and three more in the third on a Welch single, an Iturrey sacrifice fly, and an error by the Scots' right fielder.

Leading 4-3 with one out in the seventh, senior relief pitcher Connor McGuiness entered the game with runners on first and second, and loaded the bases with a walk.  However, he proceeded to get a ground ball double play to end the inning, and induced a groundout and a pair of strikeouts to work through the Covenant side in order in the eighth.

However, Covenant rallied in the ninth inning for the third-straight game, scoring two runs off the combination of sophomore Matt McMahon and junior Mike Bitanga to take a 5-4 lead.  Emory threatened after Kevin O'Connor drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a groundout, but Covenant's Demarius Johnson struck out Brendan McElhaney to end the game.

McMahon took the loss in the game to fall to 0-1, while Johnson pitched the final two innings to earn the win, improving to 3-2 this season.

Lake notched a two hits in the late game, scoring two runs, while Welch drove in two and Iturrey added an RBI of his own.

In between games, Emory honors its seven graduating seniors – McGuiness, O'Connor, Ryan Orlovsky, Page, Maxim Sankey, Schwendel and Jonathan Sholar.  Over the past four seasons, the four seniors have helped the Eagles to an overall record of 90-65 and two UAA Championships.

Emory will return to action on Wednesday, April 18^th, hosting Oglethorpe University at 3:00 PM.