The Emory University baseball team lost the series finale to in-state rival Piedmont University, 6-1, Sunday afternoon at Loudermilk Field in Demorest, Georgia.
An early deficit proved too much to overcome for the Eagles as the Lions scored five runs in the first inning and rode an impressive pitching performance from starter Adam Metivier to improve to 10-6 on the season. With the loss, Emory slips to 10-9 overall.
Before recording an out on Sunday, Piedmont was ahead 5-0. The Lions opened the game with a HBP, walk and single against starter Ryan Reynolds before Isaak Mullanack cleared the bases with a double to the right centerfield gap. In the next at bat, Kyle Carlson cranked a two-run home run over the fence in left.
Reynolds was able to settle down after the rocky start, working a full five innings as he navigated around four more hits and a season-high five errors from the defense, including three of his own.
The Eagles got on the scoreboard in the third inning as freshman Jake Lawson brought home classmate Aidan Conley with a groundout to third.
The Emory offense was kept quiet on the afternoon due to an outstanding start from Metivier. The Eagles were held in check as he worked into the ninth inning looking to become the first Piedmont player to throw a complete game since current Emory pitching coach Sam Carpenter did so in 2017. Metivier allowed just the one run on eight hits and two walks.
Following his departure with one out in the ninth with a pitch count rising, the Eagles attempted to make some noise. Emory loaded the bases with a walk from Conley and singles from senior Walker Woolf and Lawson. Junior Matthew Sicoli looked to keep the Emory threat going but flied out to the warning track in dead center for the game's final out.
The Eagles will be back on the diamond this Tuesday afternoon, March 19th, hosting No. 11 ranked Birmingham-Southern at 3:00 PM in Atlanta.