The Emory University Baseball team won their second game in three days against Washington University (Mo.) on Tuesday night, defeating the Bears 8-2 to move half a game out of first place at the 2014 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships in Sanford, FL.

The win moves Emory to 12-6 overall, and to 3-1 at the conference tournament.  The Eagles trail only Case Western Reserve University (3-0) in the standings, which will have its doubleheader day on Wednesday.

Senior Ben Hinojosa pitched six and two thirds solid innings to earn the win, scattering eight hits and a pair of walks to limit the Bears to a pair of runs.  Hinojosa struck out six batters in his 123-pitch effort, earning the victory to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Senior Mike Bitanga closed out the remainder of the game, pitching two and a third shutout innings, allowing just one hit.

Emory jumped out early in the game and never looked back, scoring three runs in the top of the first on a Daniel Iturrey single, a bases-loaded walk to Jared Welch, and a sacrifice fly from Philip Maldari.  The Eagles pushed their lead to 4-0 with a run on doubles from Welch and Josh Bokor in the third inning.

After Washington cut the Eagles' lead in half with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, Emory answered back with two more in the top of the inning on another bases loaded walk to Welch and Maldari's second sacrifice fly of the game.  Emory took advantage of a Washington error in the seventh to score another run, and capped off the scoring with a run on a wild pitch in the ninth inning.

Welch finished the game one-for-two with three walks, two runs scored and two RBIs, while Maldari added a one-for-two day with two RBIs as well.  Senior Brandon Hannon, junior Brett Lake and senior Jared Kahn each had multiple hit performances as well.  With the two-hit day, Lake now has hit in all 18 Emory games this season, and has a 19-game hitting streak dating back to last season.

Bears' starter Chris Sanderson took the loss, falling to 0-2 for the season.  Washington dropped to 3-5 overall this year, including a 2-2 mark in UAA games.

The Eagles will be back in action at the UAA Championships on Wednesday, facing the University of Rochester at 5:00 PM.