Box Score Emory University carried a one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth inning in its NCAA Division III Championship opener on Wednesday against second-seeded and nationally 18th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University, but the Lutes tallied four runs in the frame to come-from-behind and defeated the fifth-seeded Eagles, 9-6 at Loudermilk Field in Demorest, Georgia.
Emory (26-13) will now have to advance through the consolation bracket in order to win the NCAA South Regional. The Eagles will have an elimination game on Thursday at 12:00 pm against sixth-seeded Methodist University, which dropped a 7-4 decision to top-seeded Rhodes College on Wednesday. The Lutes (31-12) will play the winner of the third game of the first day on Thursday.
Emory took the early lead in the game, sending nine batters to bat and plating three runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI single from sophomore Wilson Morgan, an error that scored senior Brett Lake, and a bases-loaded walk issued to freshman Nick Chambers. Lutes starting pitcher Chris Bishop escaped the inning with the bases loaded with a strikeout, but needed to throw 46 pitches in the frame.
Pacific Lutheran would battle back against Emory starter Jackson Weeg, when Curtis Wildung led the bottom of the frame off with a triple and scored a batter later on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the second, the Lutes evened the score on a two-out, two RBI single from Tanner Williams.
The Eagles answered back, regaining the lead in the top of the third on a double from sophomore Philip Maldari, and extending it to 5-3 on a two-out squeeze bunt from Chambers. However, for the second time in the first three innings, the Eagles left the bases loaded in the inning, and the Lutes cut the lead back to 5-4 on Tyler Thompson's fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the third.
Weeg settled in for the Eagles, and after entering the game in relief and getting the final out of the third inning, Lutes pitcher Garrett Brown pitched five and a third innings without an earned run against Emory. The score remained 5-4 until the bottom of the sixth, when Kory VanderStaay drove in the game-tying run with a two out single.
Weeg struck out 10 batters over seven innings of work, walking just two and surrendering five hits. All five runs scored against the southpaw were earned in the game.
Emory finally broke through against Brown in the top of the eighth. Junior Dylan Eisner led the inning off with a base hit and stole second with two outs to get into scoring position for Maldari. The Eagles' third baseman lined a 3-2 pitch into right field that bounced off the glove of outfielder Collin Nilson, allowing Eisner to score the go-ahead run.
Emory's newfound lead was short lived. In the bottom of the eighth, against reliver Kyle Monk, the Lutes scored on an RBI single by Drew Oord and took advantage of an error to take a 7-6 lead with one out in the frame. Pacific Lutheran plated two more runs in the inning, taking a 9-6 lead into the top of the ninth, and closer AJ Konopaski pitched a scoreless frame to secure the victory.
Brown earned the win in the game, improving to 5-1 on the year, while Konopaski picked up his 11th save. Monk fell to 3-2 on the year with the loss.
Lake was two-for-five at the plate for Emory in the loss, and is now one hit shy of 200 for his career.
Fans can follow the action for tomorrow's games at the NCAA South Regional, hosted by Piedmont College, with live statistics and video at the official tournament page: http://www.piedmontlions.com/sports/2015/2/24/BSB_0224151343.aspx.
