The Emory University Baseball team's 2017 season came to a close Friday evening as the Eagles were eliminated from the double-elimination NCAA South Regional tournament following a 4-2 loss to Roanoke College at Legion Field in Danville, Virginia. Emory concludes the year with a 27-14 overall record.
Senior Brian Hernandez began the scoring, launching his team-leading fourth home run of the year over the left centerfield fence to lead off the bottom of the second.
The Eagles held the 1-0 lead until the Maroons struck for two in the top of the fifth. Collier Donald drove in the game-tying run with a sac fly to center before Sean Guida scampered home on a wild pitch to put RC in the lead.
Emory erased the 2-1 deficit in the home half of the sixth as junior Nick Chambers scored on a RBI groundout by senior Jeff Ronpirin.
The score remained 2-2 until Sam Watson scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by Chambers in the top of the eighth inning. Roanoke added another run in the ninth as Watson collected a two-out RBI single to center, plating Guida.
Senior Wilson Morgan began the bottom of the ninth with a four-pitch walk but Ronpirin grounded into the 6-3 double play to bring the Eagles to their final out. Hernandez kept the inning alive with a single to center but RC's Sumpter was able to retire junior Bubby Terp on a fly out to center to end the ball game.
Hernandez went 2-for-4 with his round-tripper to carry the Emory offense. Chambers added a 2-for-4 performance at the plate and stole a game-high two bases.
Sophomore Billy Dimlow pitched well despite falling to 6-2, pitching into the eighth inning and allowing three runs (2 ER) on seven hits and two walks while striking out five.
The defeat ends an outstanding four-year stretch for Emory' nine member senior class: Andrew Doetsch, Luke Emmett, Hernandez, Philip Maldari, Kyle Monk, Morgan, Ronpirin, Jackson Weeg and Chris Young. The group was 130-54, appeared in four straight NCAA tournaments including a second-place finish in 2015, the first Emory class to advance to three College World Series and captured University Athletic Association titles in 2014 and 2015.