The two highest scoring games in University Athletic Association baseball history now belong to Emory University as the Eagles had a record-setting Saturday afternoon in Waltham, Massachusetts.
In one of the more incredible days you'll ever see at a ballpark, the Emory University baseball team combined for 62 runs to defeat Brandeis University by scores of 31-4 and 31-7. The previous UAA record was 24 runs, set by the Eagles last season in a win at NYU (24-8), and the previous program record was 26 runs, done twice back in 1995 and 1998.
Saturday marks the 10th and 11th time a team has scored 30-plus runs in a single game at the Division III level this season, with the Eagles becoming the first DIII program to accomplish the feat of scoring 30 or more runs in a game twice. The Eagles accomplished both in only seven innings.
Furthermore, the Eagles smashed previous UAA records in hits (26) and RBI (31) while establishing new program single-game records in runs batted in (31), home runs (7) and total bases (49).
Game 1: Emory 31, Brandeis 4 (7 innings)
The record-breaking afternoon began with an electrifying game one.
Emory belted seven home runs, becoming just the fourth team in Division III to hit seven home runs or more in a game this season. Sophomore Jack Halloran joined teammate Ellis Schwartz as the only Eagles to hit three home runs in a single game in program history. Halloran eclipsed Schwartz's previous team records with nine RBI and 13 total bases in the 5-for-5 game. Halloran is just the sixth DIII player to record nine RBI or more in a game this season and is now the 11th player to have three home runs in a single game at the DIII level this year.
Twelve different players had at least one RBI, with Halloran and sophomore Blake Dincman combining for 14 runs batted in. Dincman contributed five RBI with a 2-for-3 outing, including his third home run of the season.
Schwartz finished a single shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with four runs scored and drove in three. Adding multi-RBI performances in the win were juniors Jacob Grossman, Tyler McLoughlin and sophomore Jonah Wronski. The Eagles scored in every inning except the seventh, including a 12-run frame in the sixth.
Senior Joey Bock benefited from the record-setting run support to win his third game of the season. Bock allowed one earned run over five frames, striking out five and did not issue a walk.
Game 2: Emory 31, Brandeis 7 (7 innings)
Halloran, Schwartz, McLoughlin and senior Henry Pelinski continued the Emory onslaught in the second game of the afternoon as the group combined to drive in 20 of the team's 31 runs.
Halloran extended his monster weekend with a 4-for-5 game, smacking another home run, collecting two doubles, driving in six and tied another program single-game record with five runs scored. He finished the afternoon 9-for-10 at the plate with 10 runs scored, four home runs, three doubles and 15 RBI.
Schwartz equaled Halloran's RBI total with six as he went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, two walks and four runs scored. Pelinski added five RBI as he also tallied four hits, including a double. McLoughlin rounded out the offensive stalwarts with three RBI as he went 2-for-4 with a double.
Just as in game one, the Eagles scored in six of the seven innings and remarkably also plated 12 runs in the sixth frame. Emory scored at least five runs in three innings, going for nine in the third, 12 in the sixth and five in the seventh.
Eleven different players recorded at least one RBI with 12 hitters notching at least one hit.
Supplied with more historic run support, sophomore Ryan Reynolds was able to earn his fifth win of the year as he worked five innings. He allowed three earned runs and struck out one.
Emory, now at 19-10 overall with a UAA-leading 8-2 record, will go for the series sweep on Sunday with game four scheduled for 12:00 PM.