The Emory University baseball team started the final University Athletic Association series of the 2026 season on Friday, splitting a doubleheader with visiting Brandeis University at Chappell Park in Atlanta. Prior to the start of game one, the Eagles recognized and celebrated their 10-member graduating class with a special on-field ceremony.
Game 1: Emory 2, Brandeis 0
Senior Josh Zuckerman was the headline in the series opener as the right-handed fireballer dominated the Judges across the nine frames as he spun the first nine-inning shutout of his career.
In perhaps his final collegiate start in an Eagles uniform, Zuckerman left it all out of the mound as he tossed 139 pitches in the win. Zuckerman struck out a season-high 12 batters and worked around five hits, three walks and one hit-by-pitch.
The Judges did not see more than one batter reach base in an inning until the eighth and ninth innings as Zuckerman escaped a pair of jams to complete the shutout. In the ninth, Brandeis saw two batters reach with two outs but Zuckerman forced Bobby Quill to pop up into foul territory on his 139th pitch to conclude the masterful outing.
Graduate student Mark Serdinak picked up the game's first run with a single in the second inning to score senior Adrien Armstrong. Later in the eighth, the Eagles added an insurance run with a Jake Lawson sacrifice fly which plated senior Nick Sullo.
Game 2: Brandeis 7, Emory 2
In the second game, the pitching dominance flipped as Brandeis' Andrew Tinge blanked the Eagles over seven frames to record the win.
With Emory held off the scoreboard, the Judges were able to build a sizeable lead by scoring seven times between the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Trailing 7-0 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Eagles mounted a rally and were able to avoid the shutout with a Zach Hanson two-out, two-run double which plated Sullo and freshman Ryan Roggin. However, Armstrong could not extend the rally as Brandeis evened the series.
Game three of the weekend series is scheduled to get underway at 12:00 PM on Saturday. Please check emoryathletics.com prior to the game for any potential weather-related scheduling changes.
