April 15, 2011
Royals Give Up Lead In Sixth And Fall To Southern Virginia, 7-5
The Eastern Mennonite baseball team hit the road Friday for the second of three matchups with Southern Virginia this season. Although the game functioned as a home date for the Knights, it was played at neutral Casey Stadium in Covington, Va. The Royals had beaten SVU 4-2 in Harrisonburg on March 3, but the Knights would even the season series this time with a 7-5 victory.
The men jumped on top with a three-hit first inning. Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) got things started with a single. Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) brought him in with a two-out double and Chris Harpine (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) plated another run with a single.
Travis Ebersole (Sarasota, Fl./Sarasota Christian) doubled in the second and scored on a McAlister single to put EMU up 3-0.
After Southern Virginia scored a pair in the bottom of the third, the Royals returned fire with three straight singles to open the fifth. One run scored to make it 4-2, but a strikeout and a double play ended the rally.
The Knights tied it in their next at-bat with a two-run homer, and then took their first lead with an unearned run in the sixth. After a solo shot in the seventh and another unearned run in the eighth, Southern Virginia had a comfortable 7-4 lead heading into the ninth.
The men put runners on in their final chance, with back-to-back one-out singles bringing the tying run to the plate. One runner scored on a wild pitch, but Dylan Smith (Sterling, Va./Park View) struck out and Banglesdorf lined out to left, leaving the Knights with the two-run win.
Chris DeWald (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) started and lasted five innings for EMU, getting a no decision. Banglesdorf took over in the sixth and was charged with three runs over his 2-1/3 innings. Although only one of the runs was earned, Banglesdorf took the loss.
McAlister finished with four of EMU's 11 hits. The freshman scored twice and drove in another run. Banglesdorf was 2-5 at the plate with a run and an RBI.
The Royals drop to 9-24 with the tough non-conference loss. The men will play again on Sunday, as the Roanoke doubleheader was moved back one day from Saturday because of the forecasted rains. First pitch on Sunday in Harrisonburg will be 1:00pm. EMU will hold its Senior Recognition between games that afternoon.
Southern Virginia returns to Harrisonburg Monday at 4:00pm to wrap up the season.
