The Emory University Baseball team scored in double-digits for the fourth time through eight games this season, as the Eagles overcame a slow start to defeat the LaGrange College Panthers 10-4 at Chappell Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Emory improved to 6-2 on the season with the win, the team's fifth in its last six contests, while the Panthers fell to 0-4 with the loss.
The Eagles were buoyed by the return of senior starting pitcher Ben Hinojosa, who took to the mound for the first time this season, after missing all of the 2013 campaign due to injury. After allowing a pair of runs to start the game, including one earned, Hinojosa settled in to retire the next nine batters in order, while striking out four. The right-handed pitcher needed just 36 pitches to get through his three innings of work, and did not walk a batter in the effort.
Emory erased the two-run deficit in the bottom of the second, scoring runs on a sacrifice fly from Wes Peacock and a single from Ryan Toscano, and took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI double from Peacock.
LaGrange responded with an unearned run off Emory freshman Jackson Weeg in the top of the fourth, but the lefty settled in, holding the Panthers without an earned run on five hits, while striking out five and walking one. The Eagles scored another run in the bottom of the fourth on a Brett Lake single, and the team would not trail the rest of the way, delivering Weeg his first collegiate victory.
Weeg has not allowed an earned run through his first 8.2 innings of work this season.
Emory added on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles from senior Jared Welch and freshman Philip Maldari, and a balk that scored Peacock, increasing the lead to 7-3. The Eagles put up another three spot in the bottom of the sixth, when Daniel Iturrey drove in two with an RBI single, and later scored from third on a wild pitch.
Senior Robert Gross allowed a run in the top of the eighth to the Panthers, but would get out of the frame without any further damage. Senior Mike Bitanga closed out the contest, needing just six pitches to sit the LaGrange side down in order in the ninth.
Iturrey finished the game three-for-three with three runs scored and two RBIs, and is now batting .429 this season with 11 runs and 10 runs batted in. Lake ran his hitting streak to nine games with a one-for-two performance, including two runs, an RBI and a pair of walks, while Peacock added a pair of hits, a run scored, two RBIs and a stolen base. Senior Brandon Hannon stole two bases during the day, and has now been successful in his last 26 steal attempts, dating back to the start of the 2013 season.
LaGrange reliever Tyler Brooks took the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season. Jim Reed and Casey Bell each had a pair of hits for the Panthers in the game.
Emory will make the trip to Fayetteville, NC this weekend to take on Methodist University on Saturday, February 22nd at 1:00 PM and Sunday, February 23rd at 2:00 PM.
August 6, 2014
2014 Emory Baseball Season Recap
May 30, 2014
Hannon Named Capital One Academic All-American
May 23, 2014
Lake & Welch Claim National Honors
May 20, 2014
Welch & Monk Named UAA Athletes of the Week
May 19, 2014
Four Eagles Earn D3Baseball.com All-Region Accolades
May 14, 2014
#22 Emory Opens NCAAs with 4-2 Win over Rhodes
May 12, 2014
#24/30 Emory Heads to Demorest for NCAA Regionals
May 12, 2014
Emory Baseball Named to the NCAA Championship Field
April 29, 2014
Dillman Named UAA Athlete of the Week
April 25, 2014
Dillman Strikes out 14 as Emory Blanks Huntingdon 8-0
April 24, 2014
Eagles to Wrap-Up Regular Season against Huntingdon
April 22, 2014
Baseball vs. LaGrange Postponed Until Wednesday
April 22, 2014
Hansen Claims Fourth Conference Pitcher of the Week Honor
April 19, 2014
Emory Falls to NAIA #4 Georgia Gwinnett on Senior Day
April 18, 2014
Friday Baseball at Georgia Gwinnett Rained Out
April 16, 2014
Emory Shuts Out Berry 5-0 to Sweep Season Series
April 14, 2014
Emory Baseball vs. Berry Postponed Until Wednesday
April 12, 2014
Eagles Hold on for 5-4 Win over Southwestern
April 11, 2014
Hannon Records 200th Hit in 10-2 Win over Southwestern
April 1, 2014
Dillman & Maldari Named Association Players of the Week
March 31, 2014
29th-Ranked Emory to Play at Berry College on Tuesday
March 30, 2014
#29 Emory Splits Doubleheader with #10 Birmingham-So.
March 28, 2014
Weather Forces Changes to Weekend Baseball Schedule
March 28, 2014
#29 Emory to Face #10 BSC in Key Weekend Series
March 26, 2014
#29 Emory Falls in Ninth Inning to Centre College
March 25, 2014
Kahn & Hansen Named UAA Hitter & Pitcher of the Week
March 25, 2014
Kahn Named to D3Baseball.com Team of the Week
March 23, 2014
Emory Wins Fourth-Straight with 7-1 Victory over DePauw
March 22, 2014
Sunday Baseball Game vs. DePauw moved to 2 PM
March 22, 2014
Emory Baseball Sweeps DePauw in Saturday Doubleheader
March 21, 2014
Hannon & Lake Named to All-UAA Tournament Team
March 20, 2014
Emory Returns Home to Host Weekend Series against DePauw
March 16, 2014
Emory Defeats Brandeis to win 12th UAA Championship
March 13, 2014
Eagles win Third-Straight at UAA Baseball Championships
March 12, 2014
Lake & Weeg Earn Weekly Honors
March 11, 2014
Emory Defeats Wash U. 8-2 at UAA Championships
March 10, 2014
Emory Baseball Splits Doubleheader during Day 2 of UAAs
March 9, 2014
Eagles Strike First at UAAs with 7-3 Win over Wash U.
March 6, 2014
2014 UAA Baseball Championship Preview
March 5, 2014
Emory Rally Falls Short in 7-6 Loss to Oglethorpe
March 4, 2014
Peacock Named to D3Baseball.com Team of the Week
March 2, 2014
Peacock Hits Third HR in 14-2 Emory Rout of Rochester
February 26, 2014
Baseball to Wrap-Up Home Stand against Rochester (Mich.)
February 25, 2014
Emory Bats Come Alive in 13-4 Win over Oglethorpe
February 24, 2014
Baseball Aims to Bounce Back against Oglethorpe
February 23, 2014
Rough Eighth Inning Sends Emory to 12-9 Defeat at Methodist
February 22, 2014
Eagles Shutout 1-0 at Methodist
February 21, 2014
Baseball to Face Methodist in Weekend Series
February 19, 2014
Emory Handles LaGrange in 10-4 Win
February 18, 2014
Lake Named to D3Baseball.com Team of the Week
February 18, 2014
Baseball to Host LaGrange in Midweek Matchup
February 17, 2014
Iturrey & Hansen Selected as UAA Hitter & Pitcher of the Week
February 16, 2014
Emory Splits Sunday Doubleheader at Piedmont
February 15, 2014
Eagles to Play Doubleheader at Piedmont on Sunday
February 15, 2014
Baseball Defeats Piedmont 4-3 on Peacock’s Walk-Off Double
February 13, 2014
First Game of Emory Baseball Series vs. Piedmont Postponed
February 11, 2014
Baseball to Play Three against In-State Rival Piedmont
February 10, 2014
Lake & Dillman Named First UAA Baseball Players of the Week for 2014
February 9, 2014
Emory Baseball Wraps-Up Cali Trip with Win over Pomona-Pitzer
February 8, 2014
Emory Splits Doubleheader with 10th-Ranked Cal Lutheran
February 7, 2014
Emory Opens Season with 11-2 Win at Occidental
February 4, 2014
Emory Baseball Set to Open 2014 on West Coast this Weekend
February 3, 2014
Emory Baseball 2014 Season Preview