The Emory University baseball team dropped its first contest of the University Athletic Association (UAA) Tournament, falling 9-6 to the University of Rochester on Wednesday night.

Emory was able to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning, keyed by a two-run, two out double to straight away centerfield for sophomore Jonathan Reilly.  Reilly would finish the game two-for-three, in addition to being hit by two pitches.

Rochester, however, would battle back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning off Emory starter Paul Schwendel, and would take the lead in the third on a two-RBI double for Casey Storme.

The Yellowjackets would build a 8-3 lead with two runs in each of the fourth and sixth innings, before Emory would get back into the game in the seventh inning after a Kevin O’Connor triple scored Ryan Jones, and eventually O’Connor himself after an errant throw allowed the Eagles’ second baseman to advance home on the play, making the score 8-5.  Later in the seventh, the Eagles loaded the bases with one out, but a double play ended the frame for the Eagles.

Rochester would extend the lead with a run in the bottom of the seventh, and another O’Connor RBI hit in the eighth would be too little too late for the Eagles.

Schwendel would take the loss for Emory, falling to 1-1 on the season.  Rochester starter Dan Ludwig earned the win for the Yellowjackets.

The loss ended Emory’s four-game winning streak, dropping the Eagles to 9-7 on the year and to 2-1 in UAA play.  Rochester moved ahead of the Eagles at the tournament with a 2-0 record, and a 4-1 overall mark.

Emory will return to action tomorrow, playing their fourth game of the tournament against Brandeis University at 4:00 PM at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium in Sanford, FL.