The Emory University baseball team continued to roll Saturday afternoon as the Eagles ran its winning streak to seven games with a doubleheader sweep of Covenant College at Chappell Park in Atlanta.
Game 1: Emory 15, Covenant 14
The Eagles used three key scoring frames to produce its highest scoring output of the season winning the slugfest in the first game of the afternoon.
After the Scots struck for two in their half of the first, the Eagles put up a crooked number in their turn at bat, sending 11 batters to plate to regain the lead at 6-2. Six different Eagles recorded an RBI in the frame.
Covenant evened the score with a four spot in the top of the third but the Eagles answered right back with their own four-run frame with junior Zach Hanson driving in a pair and junior Jonathan Lang and freshman Dalton Needle added RBIs in the inning.
The Scots capitalized on three Emory errors in the fifth to score seven times and reclaim the lead at 14-10.
Emory was held scoreless in both the fourth and fifth innings but returned to form in the sixth. Hanson came through with another two-run hit followed again by RBI-producing plate appearances from Lang and Needle to tie the score at 14. The Eagles saw the go-ahead run come home in the form of junior Jake Lawson as a double steal attempt leading to an arrant throw gave the Eagles the lead.
Following the offensive onslaught in the early innings, the Emory bullpen arms of Owen Stone and Paul Fine retired 12 of the final 14 Covenant hitters that came to the plate to close out the win. Stone recorded his first decision as an Eagle with two scoreless frames before Fine notched his first save with two spotless innings.
Hanson had a career day at the dish, driving in five runs as he went 4-for-6 and scored three times. Lang and Needle both drove in three to headline the offense.
Game 2: Emory 10, Covenant 1 (7 innings)
Senior Adam Geller shoved across five innings of work as he recorded his second win of the season and the Emory bats continued to produce at a high clip to complete the weekend sweep.
Geller allowed just one run over his five innings of work as he struck out five and did not walk a batter. His lone blemish came in his final inning of work.
At the plate, graduate student Mark Serdinak worked a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the first and the Eagles added two more in the third with a Needle two-run blast.
Leading 4-1 entering the sixth, senior Zach Wasserlauf added to the Emory total with his two-run double as he kick started a six-run frame to put the game out of reach. Needle added another RBI to his monster day followed by a two-run single from Cam Newell and a run-scoring double from freshman Jackson Fardo.
Graduate student Nic Roma shut the door on the sweep as he recorded his second save of the season. Roma scattered two hits over his two scoreless innings while striking out three.
The Eagles look to continue their winning ways Tuesday afternoon as Emory hosts neighbor Oglethorpe University. First pitch from Chappell Park is set for 2:00 PM.
