Two runs in the eighth and three runs in the ninth helped the Emory University baseball program cap off a wild, late-inning comeback as the Eagles defeated WashU, 6-5, in walk-off fashion in the opening game of the UAA championship-deciding series.
Junior Steven Hunt scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to propel Emory one win closer to the program's 15th conference championship.
Freshman Adam Geller hit a chopper to deep short with two outs and two runners on. A great diving effort from the Bears' Harry Mauterer allowed him to quickly get to his feet and fire a throw to first. His throw was errant of the first base bag, pulling the WashU first basemen off the base, both allowing Geller to reach safely and Hunt to come home with the winning run.
With the win, the Eagles are now 10-2 in the UAA and one win away from clinching the UAA title with three games remaining in the weekend series. The Bears drop their fourth game in the conference, falling to 9-4 and 25-9 overall.
Trailing 4-1 in the eighth, the Eagles began to mount their rally. With two outs, junior Tyler McLoughlin drew a HBP to extend the inning. Geller came through with a single through the left side hole to bring around sophomore Matthew Sicoli who reached on an error to start the inning. In the next at bat, freshman Zach Wasserlauf delivered another single through the left side, plating McLoughlin. Geller nearly scored the game-tying run on a single by sophomore Blake Dincman but a play at the plate kept the game at 4-3 in favor of WashU.
Following the play at the plate to end the eighth, WashU's Shane Pellegino led off the ninth with home run to push the Bears' lead back to 5-3.
Junior Jacob Grossman worked a walk to open the bottom of the ninth before senior Ellis Schwartz followed with a single to right and smartly moved to the second on the throw to third. The Eagles were able to cash in with the lead off baserunners as Sicoli plated Grossman with a sac fly before senior Henry Pelinski tied the game with triple to right. Pelinski was lifted for pinch runner Hunt who would score two batters later on the game-winning error.
McLoughlin earned the win to move to 2-0 after pitching the ninth while senior Aaron Mishoulam received a no decision for the first time in eight starts after holding WashU to three runs (1 ER) over six strong frames while striking out seven.
The Eagles will go for the conference crown on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon at Chappell Park in Atlanta. Prior to the start of game one, Emory will honor its eight-member graduating class with a special on-field ceremony.