By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
ATLANTA, Ga. – No. 19/22 LaGrange (25-12, 11-4 CCS) rallied from four runs down but could not get over the hump as Emory (28-11, 13-2 UAA) claimed their 17th win in their past 19 games, posting a 10-6 decision in an NCAA Division III baseball game on Tuesday, April 25.
The Panthers would threaten right away with a one-out hit by pitch by freshman outfielder Curt Bonner (Cartersville, Ga.) and single by senior third baseman Joe Ruth (Chiefland, Fla.). Both would then move up a base on a wild pitch before the Eagles got out of it with a strike out to end the frame.
They would capitalize on that effort and a 1-2-3 top of the second, paying it off in the home half of that inning. Jack Halloran led off with a walk but wouldn't be on base long as Tyler McLoughlin immediately jacked a ball over the left field fence for a 2-0 lead. Blake Dincman then singled to center, swiped second and moved to third on a grounder before scoring on a single to short by Jacob Grossman to extend to a three-run advantage.
It would stay that way until the fifth when sophomore outfielder Jorge Fragoso (East Point, Ga.) led off with a single to left center and went to third on a single to right by junior second baseman Adam Dorn (Canton, Ga.). Following back-to-back outs he then scored on a wild pitch on a walk to senior outfielder Rhett Mixon (Loganville, Ga.) to cut it to 3-1.
After getting out of the inning with a grounder, Emory would add on in the bottom of the inning, plating a pair of runs on three hits. Halloran would deliver a sacrifice fly with Ellis Schwartz on third, and with runners on first and third, the Eagles would pull a softball play out of the playbook. That would be a double steal that saw McLoughlin take second and Henry Pelinski steal home to make it 5-1.
LaGrange would get halfway back in the sixth as a walk and error set the stage for an RBI double from freshman first baseman Brody Hollingsworth (Powder Springs, Ga.) and an RBI single from Fragoso to cut it to 5-3. They would get all the way back in the seventh as a single, walk and throwing error made it so a single by Bonner plated freshman shortstop Jackson McElvy (Kennesaw, Ga.) and a groundout by junior catcher David Smigelski (Canton, Ga.) brought home Mixon to tie it at 5-5.
It wouldn't stay that way, however, as Emory took the lead right back in the bottom of the seventh as Pelinski belted a leadoff homer over the right field fence. That would be a precursor of things to come as the Eagles would explode for four runs on three hits to put the game out of reach in the eighth.
The damage in that frame would be sudden and loud as Halloran powered a three-run homerun to left center and was immediately followed by McLoughlin's second homerun of the day. The Panthers would manage a walk and single to put runners on first and third and scratch a run in the ninth but to no avail as Emory closed out the 10-6 victory.
McLoughlin would lead the Eagles with a pair of homeruns, three RBIs and two runs as part of a 3-for-5 day while Halloran ripped a double and homerun to finish 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a pair of runs. Pelinski went 2-for-4 with a homerun, RBI and three runs and Grossman was 2-for-4 with the other RBI. Aaron Mishoulam threw a scoreless four innings, allowing just three hits, but would get a no decision while McLoughlin entered in relief, allowing three runs and four walks but getting the win over 2.1 innings. He moves to 3-0.
Smigleski led LaGrange with a pair of RBIs and a double and Hollingsworth notched a double and RBI of his own. Fragoso was 2-for-3 with a run and RBI and McElvy was 2-for-4 with a run to round out the offense. Freshman pitcher Eli Folds (Cullman, Ala.) hurled 2.2 in relief, surrendering three runs and four hits to take the loss and drop to 3-3.
UP NEXT
The Panthers wrap up the regular season as they return home for a three-game Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) series against Huntingdon from April 28-30. First pitch for the opener is set for 7 p.m. with the final two games going at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.