Box Score Despite putting up a tough fight against one of the top teams in the NAIA, the Emory University Baseball team suffered a 5-2 loss to fourth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College on Senior Day at Chappell Park on Saturday afternoon.
The loss put an end to a six-game winning streak for the Eagles, who fell to 25-10 for the season. Georgia Gwinnett improved to 41-8 for the year with the win.
After falling behind 4-0 after the first two innings, senior Brandon Hannon put the Eagles on the board in the bottom of the third, driving in a pair of runs with a two-out single. However, the Grizzlies added a run in the top of the fourth, and Emory would be unable to score another run the rest of the way.
Senior Ben Hinojosa took the loss in the game, falling to 3-2 on the year after allowing four runs, three of which were earned, over two innings of work. Senior Matt McMahon allowed a run on three hits with three strikeouts during his three innings of relief, while seniors Robert Gross and Mike Bitanga each finished out the game with a pair of scoreless innings.
Starting pitcher Tyler Carpenter earned the win for Georgia Gwinnett to improve to 6-1 in 2014, while Zeke McGranahan pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save of the year.
Three Eagles had multiple-hit efforts on Saturday, with junior Brett Lake and senior Ryan Toscano each going two-for-four, and senior Jared Kahn adding a two-for-five game.
Prior to the start of Saturday's game, Emory recognized its graduating players – Bitanga, Josh Bokor, Gross, Hannon, Hinojosa, Daniel Iturrey, Kahn, McMahon, Toscano and catcher Jared Welch – with a special 'Senior Day' ceremony. Together, the ten-person class has been one of the most successful in school history, accumulating three University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, 99 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2012.
The Eagles will begin their final week of the regular season on Tuesday, travelling to LaGrange College for a 7:00 PM game on Tuesday, April 22nd.
