Emory sophomore Paul Merolla pitched a complete game during the second-ranked Eagles’ 15-3 win over fourth-ranked Southern Maine on Monday. Merolla scattered nine hits and a walk over nine innings, allowing just three runs in the contest. It was the right-handed pitcher’s second complete game of the season and third of his career, as he finished the year with a 4-1 record and a 4.26 earned run average. His performance helped the Eagles reach the NCAA Championship game for just the second time in the program’s history, and finish the year with an overall record of 38-13.
Emory University freshman Philip Maldari was named to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament team after leading all players in runs batted in. Maldari drove in 11 runs in six games, while batting .458 (11-for-24) with a tournament high four doubles and three runs scored. His top performances include a three-for-four performance with three RBIs and a double against SUNY Cortland on Sunday, and a two-for-five game with four RBIs and a double against Southern Maine on Monday, both elimination contests. Defensively, the third baseman committed just one error in 16 chances during the week. Maldari finished the season batting .362 with 10 doubles, a home run and 33 RBIs. He helped the Eagles reach the NCAA Championship game for just the second time in the program’s history, and finish the year with a 38-13 record.
Emory University freshman Kyle Monk picked up four saves during the six games of the 2014 South Regional, helping the 22nd-ranked Eagles advance to the NCAA Division III World Series. Monk, who was selected to the all-tournament team, allowed just one unearned run over six and two-thirds innings pitched, surrendering four hits and striking out six without walking a batter. One of his saves came in the Eagles’ tournament-clinching victory, as the right-handed pitcher struck out two in the ninth inning of the Eagles’ 5-2 win over Bridgewater. He is now 3-1 this season with a 1.61 ERA and five saves over 17 appearances out of the bullpen this season. Monk and the Eagles will head to the NCAA Division III World Series with a 34-11 overall record.
Emory University senior catcher Jared Welch was named the Most Valuable Player of the NCAA South Regional, helping the 22nd-ranked Eagles earn the program’s fourth berth into the College World Series. Welch drove in a tournament-high seven runs during Emory’s six games, picking up six hits in 21 at bats, including two doubles and two triples, and scoring five runs of his own. His standout performances include a three-RBI game against 13th-ranked Shenandoah University, coming on a bases-loaded triple in the first inning and helping the Eagles to a 12-8 win, and a two-for-five game with two RBIs and a triple against Bridgewater in an 11-3 win. In addition, Welch caught every inning during the six games, and held opposing base runners to just four stolen bases on nine attempts. For the season, the right-handed batter has a .293 average with a team-high 13 doubles and four triples, in addition to 33 runs scored and 37 RBIs. Welch and the Eagles will head to the NCAA Division III World Series with a 34-11 overall record.
Emory University senior catcher Jared Welch led the Eagles to a perfect 4-0 record last week, driving in a team-best seven runs over the four games. Welch got the Eagles’ offense started during Wednesday’s 13-1 win at LaGrange College, plating the first three runs of the game with a double with two outs and the bases loaded in the first inning. He also drove in the first run of the game with a second inning triple, later scoring a run of his own, during the Eagles’ 8-0 win on Friday at Huntingdon, in addition to presiding over a shutout from behind the plate. On Saturday at Huntingdon, Welch went two-for-three with a run scored, two RBIs and a walk, helping the Eagles to a 13-7 win. The right-handed hitter aided in the Eagles’ sweep of the Hawks on Sunday, going one-for-four with an RBI. In addition, Welch did not commit an error during the week, threw out a pair of runners on six steal attempts against him, and helped Emory pitchers record a 1.41 ERA in his 32 innings behind the plate. Welch has been Emory’s starting catcher in each of the team’s 39 games this season, batting .294 with 11 doubles, two triples and 30 RBIs. The Eagles ended their regular season with a 29-10 record.
Emory University junior Connor Dillman struck out 14 batters over seven shutout innings, helping the Eagles to an 8-0 win over Huntingdon College on Friday night in Montgomery, Alabama. After allowing two of the first three hitters of the game to reach with singles, Dillman allowed just one more base hit and two walks over his next six and two-thirds innings of work, and did not allow a run past second base the entire outing. The 14 strikeouts were a season-best for the right-handed pitcher, the second-most in a game in his career, and tied for the third-most ever in a contest by an Emory pitcher. Dillman earned the win in the game to improve to 7-1 on the season, while lowering his ERA to 2.16. The Eagles closed out their 2014 regular season with 10-straight wins against Division III opposition, improving to 29-10 overall.
Emory University senior outfielder Daniel Iturrey led all Eagles with a .500 batting average over two games last week. Iturrey picked up three hits in six at bats, including a double, and walked twice to move into second-place in school history with 117 career free passes. During the Eagles’ 5-0 win over Berry College at Chappell Park, the left-handed hitter was two-for-three with a double, a stolen base, two RBIs and a run scored as Emory’s designated hitter, plating runs in the first inning with a single and in the fifth inning with a double. On Saturday against Georgia Gwinnett College, ranked fourth in the NAIA, he was one-for-three with a walk, and made a pair of diving catches in leftfield, during a 5-2 Emory loss. Iturrey is now batting .339 this season with one home run and 33 RBIs, and has stolen 10 bases on 12 attempts. The Eagles will enter their final week of the 2014 season with an overall record of 25-10.
Emory University freshman Hans Hansen threw seven shutout innings at Chappell Park on Wednesday afternoon to lead the Eagles to a 5-0 win over Berry College. Hansen scattered seven hits and two walks, while striking out three over his seven scoreless innings of work, needing just 89 pitches to navigate the Vikings’ lineup, which entered the game ranked 40th in Division III in runs per game. The right-handed pitcher earned the win to improve to a team-best 7-1 this season, while lowering his ERA to 2.59 over nine starts and 59 innings pitched. During his last four starts, the freshman is 4-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 30 innings pitched. Hansen and the Eagles will enter the final week of the season with a 25-10 overall record.
Emory University junior outfielder/ designated hitter Brett Lake drove in a team-high four runs last weekend, helping the Eagles to a three-game sweep of Southwestern University at Chappell Park. Lake finished the weekend with a .400 batting average (four-for-10), adding on two runs scored and a pair of walks. During Emory’s 10-2 win on Friday, the right-handed hitter went two-for-four, driving in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, and scoring an insurance run in the third. He was one-for-two with a two walks and a run scored on Saturday, and plated the deciding run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Eagles to a 5-4 win over the Pirates. Lake drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly during the Eagles’ 7-4 win on Sunday, finishing the contest one-for-four with two RBIs. He is now batting .459 this season, and his 52 RBIs are the best among University Athletic Association (UAA) players and 11 shy of the school single-season record. Lake and the Eagles have won a season-best five-straight games, improving to 24-9 for the campaign.
Emory University junior Connor Dillman delivered eight strong innings on the mound during the Eagles’ 10-2 win over Southwestern University on Friday at Chappell Park. Dillman held the Pirates to two earned runs on just four hits and one walk, while striking out five batters in the game. Needing just 97 pitches to navigate the game, the right handed pitcher retired the side in order in four different innings. Dillman improved to a team-best 6-1 for the season, while lowering his ERA to 2.41 and his opponents’ batting average to .230. The Eagles went on to sweep Southwestern, improving to 24-9 in 2014.
Emory University freshman Kyle Monk earned the win on the mound with three solid innings of relief work during the 30th-ranked Eagles’ 15-9 victory at Berry College on Tuesday. Monk entered the game with the Eagles leading 5-3 with one out in the fifth and the potential game-tying runners on first and third. The right-hander proceeded to pitch a career-high three innings without allowing an earned run, surrendering just four hits and a walk while striking out three and giving up just one unearned run in the contest. He has now appeared in eight games during his freshman campaign, all out of the bullpen, as leads all Emory pitchers with a 1.50 ERA, while notching a 2-1 record and a .178 opponents’ batting average over 12 innings of work. Monk and the Eagles now stand at 21-9 in 2014.
Emory University senior Brandon Hannon went four-for-six with three runs scored and three runs batted in during the 30th-ranked Eagles 15-9 win at Berry College last Tuesday. Hannon added a stolen base, his team-leading 17th of the season. After starting the day 0-for-2, the right fielder picked up hits in each of his last four at bats, including two on bunt singles, to lead the Eagles to a win. The left-handed hitter is now batting .370 with 43 runs scored (the most in Division III this season) with 18 runs batted in. In addition, Hannon is now just one hit shy of becoming the 11th player in school history with 200 career hits. With the win, Hannon and the Eagles improved to 21-9 in 2014.
Emory University junior Connor Dillman led the 29th-ranked Eagles to a 4-1 win over 10th-ranked Birmingham-Southern College with his second complete game effort of the season. Dillman limited the Panthers to one unearned run on five hits, en route to the victory. He struck out a season-high seven batters in the game, and walked just one batter, during the 102 pitch effort. The right-handed pitcher improved to 5-1 on the year with a 2.44 ERA, helping the Eagles take two of the three games in the series against the Panthers, and improve to 20-9 overall in 2014.
Emory University freshman third baseman Philip Maldari hit .583 (seven-for-12) over three games last weekend, helping the 29th-ranked Eagle win a series against 10th-ranked Birmingham-Southern College. Maldari opened the weekend with a two-for-four game on Saturday afternoon, including a two-out RBI single in the second inning, helping the Eagles to a 4-1 win. In a 10-8 loss in 10 innings in the opening game of a doubleheader on Sunday, the right-handed hitter went two-for-four with an RBI again, while also walking once and stealing a base. Maldari capped off the weekend with a three-for-four game in the second contest of the doubleheader, leading the Eagles to a 4-2 victory. He also played flawless defense at third base during the weekend, successfully converting each of his 14 chances at the position. Maldari is now second among all Emory players with a .378 batting average this season, and has added 13 runs batted in. The Eagles improved to 20-9 after their performance over the weekend.
Emory University freshman Hans Hansen pitched seven scoreless innings on Sunday, helping the Eagles to a 7-1 victory over DePauw University at Chappell Park. Hansen limited the Tigers to five hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five batters on a 101-pitch effort. He also made a sterling defensive play in the game, flipping the ball to catcher Jared Welch to record an out at home plate in the top of the fifth, preserving a 1-0 Eagles’ lead at the time. Hansen earned the win in the game, improving his season record to a team-best 5-1, while lowering his ERA to 3.07. Over his last two starts, Hansen is 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA during his 15 innings of work. Hansen’s efforts have helped Emory to an 18-7 record this season.
Emory University senior infielder Jared Kahn led all Emory players with a .615 batting average, eight hits, seven runs scored and three stolen bases during a sweep of a three-game series against DePauw University at Chappell Park. Hitting out of the leadoff spot all three games, Kahn added a pair of doubles, one RBI, and two walks, while reaching base at a .667 mark and recording a slugging percentage of .769. In the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, a 10-4 Emory win, he played second base and went one-for-four with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored. He followed that with a three-for-four performance at shortstop in the second contest, scoring three runs and walking once in a 12-2 Eagles victory. Kahn rounded out the weekend with a four-for-five game as the Emory’s second baseman on Sunday, helping the Eagles to a 7-1 victory with two doubles, two runs scored, an RBI and two stolen bases. He also played perfect defense throughout the three games, failing to commit an error on 17 chances. The right-handed hitter is now batting .338 with 23 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 17 games played this year. Kahn’s performance has helped Emory to an 18-7 record this season.
Emory University junior left fielder and designated hitter Brett Lake finished the 2014 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships tied for the conference lead in runs batted in, helping lead the Eagles to their 12th Association Title. Lake hit .353 for the tournament with 12 runs batted in, seven runs scored and five stolen bases on as many attempts. He added a pair of doubles, while recording a .436 on base percentage and a .412 slugging percentage during the team’s eight games. Tournament highlights for the right-handed hitter included back-to-back four RBI games against Washington University (Mo.) and the University of Rochester to open the tournament, and a two-RBI game against Rochester in the second meeting between the two teams. Lake extended his hitting streak to 22 games, the fourth-longest in school history, before the stretch came to an end on Sunday. Lake and the Eagles finished the UAA Championships with a 6-2 record, tying for the Association Title, and improving to 15-7 overall.
Emory University sophomore Paul Merolla pitched a complete-game shutout during the Eagles’ 11-0 win over the University of Rochester at the 2014 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships last Wednesday. Merolla went the distance in the seven-inning affair, scattering seven hits and a walk, while striking out a career-high seven batters and throwing just 88 pitches. It was the 26th complete-game shutout in the program’s history, and the third in the last 10 years. The sophomore right-handed pitcher improved to 1-1 on the campaign, and lowered his earned run average to 5.12 with the effort. Merolla and the Eagles finished the UAA Championships with a 6-2 record, tying for the Association Title, and improving to 15-7 overall.
Emory University junior Brett Lake went three-for-four with a solo home run, his second of the season, during the Eagles’ 7-6 loss at Oglethorpe University last Wednesday. Lake led off the fifth inning with a home run over the left field wall, giving the Eagles a 4-2 lead at the time. The designated hitter also had singles in the first and third innings (scoring a run in the third), and drew an RBI bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning. He has hit safely in all 14 games this season, and has a 15-game hitting streak dating back to the 2013 campaign. Lake leads all Eagles this season with a .537 average (29-for-54), 20 runs scored, seven doubles, 22 RBIs, an .815 slugging percentage and a .612 on base percentage. Lake and the Eagles stand at 9-5 overall, heading into the 2014 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships.
Emory University freshman Jackson Weeg pitched three and a third scoreless innings in relief during the Eagles’ 7-6 loss at Oglethorpe University on Wednesday. Weeg allowed just two hits and a walk, while striking out four during his 37-pitch outing, resulting in a no-decision. Through four appearances, including one start, and 14 innings this season, the southpaw is yet to allow an earned run, while striking out 13 and walking six. Weeg and the Eagles stand at 9-5 overall, heading into the 2014 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships.
Emory University freshman Hans Hansen earned his third win of the season during the Eagles’ 14-2 victory over Rochester College (Mich.) on Sunday. After allowing a leadoff single to start the game, Hansen retired the next 15 batters in order, leaving the game after five scoreless innings of one-hit baseball. The righty struck out three batters, while failing to walk the opponent, and has not issued a walk through his first 22 collegiate innings. Hansen now stands at 3-0 through four starts this season with a 4.09 ERA and 15 strikeouts, while holding the opposition to a .283 batting average. He has helped the Eagles open the 2014 campaign with a 9-4 overall record.
Emory University junior center fielder Wes Peacock hit .667 (six-for-nine) with two home runs and 11 runs batted in over three games, all wins, for the Eagles last week. During Tuesday’s 13-4 win over Oglethorpe University, Peacock went two-for-three with a run scored and four RBIs, including a three-run home run, while also drawing a walk. He followed that up by drawing a walk, scoring a run, and driving in a pair of runs during the Eagles’ 15-4 win over Rochester College (Mich.) on Saturday. Peacock rounded out the week with his best game, going four-for-four with three runs and five RBIs, including a three-run home run and a double, helping lead Emory to a 14-2 victory over Rochester. He is now batting .380 this season, and leads all Eagles with 19 runs scored and three home runs, and is tied for the team lead with 20 RBIs. His performance has helped Emory open the season with a 9-4 record.
Emory senior catcher Jared Welch hit a team-best .600 (six-for-10) last week with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs during three games last week. Welch also led all Eagles with a .700 slugging percentage and was second on the team with a .615 on base percentage during the week. He opened the week with a two-for-three performance, including a run and an RBI, during a 10-4 home win over LaGrange College. On Saturday, he went three-for-four during a 1-0 loss to Methodist. The right-handed hitting catcher rounded out the week with a one-for-three game against Methodist, including a double, a run and an RBI, despite the team falling by a 12-9 tally. Welch is now hitting .324 this season with three doubles, a triple and seven runs batted in. He has helped Emory get off to a 6-4 start to the 2014 campaign.
Emory University junior Connor Dillman threw the second complete game of his career during the Eagles’ 1-0 loss at Methodist University on Saturday. Dillman was the tough-luck loser in the game, allowing just one run on five hits over eight innings, while walking four and striking out four. The complete game was the second of his career, and the first by an Eagle this season. Through three starts in 2014, the right-handed pitcher is 1-1 with a 1.45 ERA and a .197 opponents’ batting average. Emory stands at 6-4 through the first 10 games of the season.
Emory University freshman Hans Hansen pitched six strong innings to earn a victory against Piedmont College in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. Making his second-career start, Hansen allowed three runs on eight hits during a 73-pitch effort. He failed to walk a batter, while striking out six in the game, which the Eagles went on to win 9-3. Hansen is 2-0 with a 4.50 earned run average this season, and has yet to walk a hitter through 12 innings pitched. Emory took two of three games from Piedmont over the weekend, improving to 5-2 in 2014.
Emory University senior Daniel Iturrey hit .417 with a home run and four runs batted in, helping the Eagles take two of three games from Piedmont College over a weekend series. Hitting in the cleanup spot in all three games, Iturrey registered five hits in 12 at bats, adding on four walks to raise his on-base percentage to .533 for the week, while also scoring four runs and stealing a base. The left-handed designated hitter went three-for-four with a walk on Saturday, and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Eagles to a 4-3 win. In the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday, he went one-for-three with a three-run home run in the first inning, his first of the season, while also walking twice and scoring three runs to help the squad to a 9-3 win. Iturrey played left field in the late game, going one-for-five with a stolen base and an RBI single in a 14-9 loss for the Eagles. He is now batting .360 this season with eight runs scored and eight runs batted in, in addition to three stolen bases in as many attempts. With the 2-1 week, Emory improved its record to 5-2 for the season.
Emory University junior Brett Lake hit .647 (11-for-17) with seven runs batted in during the Eagles’ season-opening four game road trip in California last weekend. Lake added three doubles, a triple, five runs scored, two stolen bases and a pair of walks to pace the Eagles’ offense during the trip. Batting third in the lineup in all four games, he opened the weekend with a three-for-three performance at Occidental College, driving in three runs and scoring one, walking twice and doubling in the game to help Emory to an 11-2 win. In the early game of a doubleheader against 10th-ranked California Lutheran University, the left fielder went two-for-four with a triple and a run scored in a 13-2 loss, and followed with a four-for-five performance in the late game with two runs scored, three RBIs, a pair of doubles and a stolen base to lead the Eagles to an 11-8 win over the Kingsmen. Lake wrapped up the weekend with a two-for-five performance in a 17-2 win at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, scoring a run and driving in one as well, while stealing his second base of the season in the contest. He finished the Eagles’ opening weekend with a .941 slugging percentage and a .684 on base percentage, helping Emory open the campaign with a 3-1 record.
Emory University junior Connor Dillman pitched five scoreless innings during the Eagles’ season-opening win at Occidental College on Friday. Dillman limited the Tigers to a pair of hits and four walks, while striking out three batters during the start. The right hander earned the win in the game to improve to 1-0 on the season, and contribute to the Eagles’ 3-1 start to the campaign.
Paul Merolla
May 30, 2014Emory sophomore Paul Merolla pitched a complete game during the second-ranked Eagles’ 15-3 win over fourth-ranked Southern Maine on Monday. Merolla scattered nine hits and a walk over nine innings, allowing just three runs in the contest. It was the right-handed pitcher’s second complete game of the season and third of his career, as he finished the year with a 4-1 record and a 4.26 earned run average. His performance helped the Eagles reach the NCAA Championship game for just the second time in the program’s history, and finish the year with an overall record of 38-13.
