The Emory University baseball team lost the series opener to Piedmont University, 5-3, Thursday afternoon at Chappell Park in Atlanta.

The Eagles were held to three runs on two hits while the Lions scored five runs on nine hits. With the loss, Emory falls to 9-8 on the season and Piedmont improves to 9-5 overall.

Emory did its damage at the plate in the early stages of the game, leading 3-0 after three full innings. Senior Jacob Grossman scored the afternoon's first run in the first inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly from junior Matthew Sicoli. Two innings later, Sicoli picked up another RBI with a single to bring home Grossman once again. Two batters later, junior Blake Dincman brought home Emory's third run with a sacrifice fly scoring freshman Jake Lawson.

Defensive miscues cost the Eagles in the middle frames as three errors led the four unearned runs as Piedmont scored five across the fifth and sixth innings to move ahead 5-3.

Emory bats went cold after the Lions seized the lead, as Piedmont pitchers retired eight straight Eagles until a two-out single from junior Jack Halloran in the eighth. Halloran's hit was the final base runner in the game as the Lions closed out the game by sending down the final four Emory hitters.

Freshman JT Rattigan drew his first collegiate start on Thursday as he worked 4.2 innings, allowing three unearned runs. He struck out a career-high six batters and walked one. Junior Bennett Speicher earned the loss as he allowed two runs, one earned, in his 3.1 innings of work. He struck out one and walked none.

The Eagles and Lions will continue the series on Saturday with a single game beginning at 2:00 PM at Loudermilk Field in Demorest, Georgia.