SANFORD, FL- The Emory University baseball team used a big 5-run first inning to power past the University of Rochester 11-3 on Monday afternoon at the 2014 UAA Baseball Championships.
The Eagles (11-5, 2-0 UAA) got some help from two Rochester errors in the top of the first which helped load the bases for the heart of Emory's lineup. Third hitter Brett Lake singled in a run and then fifth hitter Wes Peacock drilled a double scoring two more for Emory. The fourth and fifth runs were both scored on RBI groundouts.
Rochester (0-2, 0-2) looked as if it would respond right away, getting two on with no out in the bottom of the first, but Eagle starter Jackson Weeg (2-0) got out of the jam, keeping the Yellowjackets off the board.
In the third, UR scored an unearned run and started off the fourth with five straight singles to score two runs cutting the Emory lead to 5-3. Sophomore
Brian Munoz and freshman
Brandon Heinrich each provided an RBI hit for Rochester.
Emory would get one of those runs back in the next half inning, pushing the lead to 6-3 before adding four insurance runs in the 8th inning with three coming on a big two-out 3 RBI single from Lake. The Eagles would score a run in the 9th to get to the final score of 11-3.
The Yellowjackets last 11 hitters were set down in order by a trio of Emory pitchers. UR's starter was freshman
Steven Russell making his first college appearance and pitched well after the rocky start. Russell threw 4 1/3 innings, allowed 4 hits, 6 runs (2 earned) while striking out 4 and walking 3. Sophomore
Dan Warren threw 3 1/3 innings while classmate
Evan Janifer finished out the last 1 1/3 innings on the mound.
