The second-ranked Emory University Eagles dropped their second-straight game on Tuesday afternoon at Chappell Park, falling by a 7-6 score to Oglethorpe University.

The loss drops Emory to 5-2 on the campaign, while the Stormy Petrels raised their record to 4-2.

Despite the loss, the Eagles received a stellar outing from their bullpen.  After the Eagles trailed by a 6-1 score after two innings, freshman Matt Randolph was able to steady the ship, allowing just one run on four hits over four innings of work, striking out two and walking one.  Freshman Danny Kerning followed with an inning and two thirds of scoreless, hitless work, and sophomore Kyle Monk closed the game out with a shutout inning and a third.

While Emory whittled away at the Stormy Petrels' lead throughout the game, the Eagles could not overcome the early deficit.  After Oglethorpe scored three in the first inning, Emory was able to cut the lead to two in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly from senior Brett Lake, but the Stormy Petrels scored three more in the top of the second to jump out to a 6-1 advantage.  They later took a 7-1 lead with a run against Randolph in the fifth.

However, the Eagles' bullpen was able to hold Oglethorpe scoreless the rest of the way, as Emory's bats began to wake up.  Freshman Mitch Kerner picked up both the first hit of his career and the first hit of the game for the Eagles off Oglethorpe starter Kyle Mitchell with two outs in the fifth, and junior Jeff Ronpirin later drove him in with a pinch hit single.  Emory added three more in the bottom of the sixth off a throwing error that scored junior Ben Vizvary and a two-RBI single from senior Wes Peacock, cutting the lead to 7-5.

Another Oglethorpe error with two outs in the eighth allowed the Eagles to cut the lead to a run, and brought Lake to the plate with the game-tying run at first.  However, Stormy Petrels' reliever Justin Thigpen induced a pop out to end the inning, and Matt Davis pitched a one-two-three ninth to secure the win and pick up the save.

Making his first appearance of the year, Mitchell earned the win for Oglethorpe, while Emory junior starter Tyler Sprague was saddled with the loss on the day, dropping to 0-1 on the year.

Peacock led the Eagles at the plate, going two-for-three with two RBIs, two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base.  For Oglethorpe, Patrick Kulick finished three-for-three, including a two-run home run in the second inning.

Emory will look to get back on the winning side of the ledger when it starts a two-game series with Methodist University on Saturday at 1:00 pm at Chappell Park.