The Emory University baseball team dropped a close game against Rhodes College to open the Rawlings Southern Classic, falling 5-3 to the Lynx.

The Eagles jumped out to a lead in the first inning, scoring a run in the opening inning on an RBI groundout for Patrick Riebsame, the junior's team-best ninth run batted in this season.

The score would remain 1-0 until the fourth inning, when Rhodes was able to score four off Emory starter Adam Genn to take the lead. 

The Eagles would answer back in the fifth with an RBI single from freshman catcher J.B. Smith and an RBI groundout for Jonathan Reilly to make it a 4-3 game.  Emory would threaten again in the top of the eighth with runners on first and third and one out, but Andrew Cohn would hit into an inning-ending double play to halt the Eagles' rally.

Rhodes added a run in the eighth inning to extend their lead to 5-3, and then retired the Eagles in order in the ninth inning.

Genn would take the loss for the Eagles, allowing three earned runs to fall to 0-1 on the year.  Emory's bullpen combination of freshman Caleb Long, senior Will Gumm and senior Zeb Heidt combined to allow just two hits over the final four and two thirds innings.

The Eagles dropped to 2-5 with the loss, while Rhodes improved to 6-1 with the win.  The Eagles will be back in action with a doubleheader against York (Pa.) College tomorrow, starting at 11:00 AM.