The Emory University baseball team celebrated its Senior Day on Saturday with a doubleheader split as the UAA series continued with the visiting WashU Bears.
Prior to first pitch of game one, the Eagles recognized their 10-member graduating class of Sam Alswang, Blake Dincman, Chris DiVito, Jack Halloran, Ryan Kelly, Brok Liu, Ryan Reynolds, Bennett Speicher, Matthew Sicoli and Jonah Wronski will a special on-field ceremony.
Halloran had a memorable day at the plate as he delivered a walkoff single in first game before tying the program record with his 169th career RBI in the second game of the afternoon.
Game 1: Emory 7, WashU 6
Through two innings of play to open the Senior Day festivities, the Eagles held a 5-3 lead as Emory took advantage of a passed ball and two WashU errors to score four unearned runs. Sophomore Aidan Conley provided the big hit during the scoring run as he smacked a double into the right field corner to score Liu and classmate Jake Lawson. Sicoli and sophomore Zach Hanson added to the score with a pair of sacrifice flies in the Eagles' four-run second.
WashU found the scoring column again the fourth with a run before taking the lead with two runs in the fifth. The Eagles only quickly trailed as sophomore Mitchell Smallwood scored Halloran with a ground out in the sixth to make it a 6-6 ballgame.
Emory relievers Nick Stellabotte, Reed Edwards and Paul Fine were able to keep the Bears in check and off the scoreboard for the game's final innings, allowing the Eagles to set up a game-winning opportunity in the ninth.
A single followed by an error and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth with the big bats coming to the plate. WashU's Oliver Block retired Sicoli but was not as fortunate against Halloran as Emory's power threat smacked a line drive single to center field to plate Hanson with the game-winning run.
Game 2: WashU 5, Emory 1
Halloran continued the momentum from game one's victory as he plated the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the opening inning. The RBI was Halloran's 169th of his prolific career as he tied Emory Hall of Famer Ted Karniewicz's program record which has stood since 2000.
Despite the early run, the Eagles could not find the scoring column for the remainder of the game as two WashU arms combined for the winning effort.
Junior Adam Geller rebounded with a strong start as he carried a shutout into the sixth inning. However, the Bears scored three times in the sixth to claim the lead for good prior to adding on insurance runs in seventh and ninth.
The Eagles will look to end the weekend with a series split as the finale is scheduled to get underway at 11:00 AM Sunday morning at Chappell Park in Atlanta.
