The Emory University baseball team played a thrilling series finale against the No. 19 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Staggs on Saturday afternoon despite the rainy weather.
The Eagles improve to 3-3 on the season with their two series wins against the Staggs and were led on the mound by junior
Adam Geller. Geller notched a career-high eight strikeouts and allowed just one run across 5.2 innings pitched. Offensively, teammates
Aidan Conley and
Blake Dinçman combined for three hits and five RBI in the matchup including a triple from Conley. Senior
Bennett Speicher closed the game out on the mound and got the win tossing three innings and striking out two batters.
The Staggs opened the first inning with a leadoff double but Geller followed with three quick outs sending CMS to the field. Sophomore
Jake Lawson opened the bottom half of the inning with a one-out walk and was advanced to third on a groundout to third base. Senior
Jack Halloran answered with a two-out double to left center giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Both pitchers went through 1-2-3 innings until the Eagles gained more momentum in the bottom of the third. With two outs and the bases loaded thanks to three walks from the Staggs' pitcher, Conley ripped a bases-clearing triple to right field widening Emory's lead to 4-0 after three complete innings.
The next few innings were quiet from both sides until a double and a three-run homer from CMS tied the game at four apiece in the top of the sixth inning. The Staggs looked for another offensive run in the top of the seventh inning loading the bases, but Speicher was able to get out of the jam without any damage done.
Emory opened the bottom half of the seventh with a hit by pitch, a single and a walk to load the bases forcing a pitching change from the Staggs. Dincman then came to the plate and pulled a double to left center to bring in two runs and reclaiming the 6-4 lead for the Eagles.
Once again, CMS answered with runs of their own in the top of the eighth with a double and a single putting runners in scoring position followed by an RBI groundout bringing the score to six runs apiece.
The Eagles started the bottom of the eighth with a walk followed by an error from the Staggs' defense forcing another pitching change from CMS. With the bases loaded again from the second walk of the inning, senior
Matthew Sicoli drove in the winning run with a fielder's choice to the shortstop. Despite a bases loaded jam from the Staggs, Speicher closed the game in the top of the ninth securing Emory's third win of the season.
Emory will hit the road next weekend to take part in the Huntingdon Tournament where they will face Wheaton College (IL) on Friday, February 21 at 4:30 PM EST.
