The Eastern Mennonite University baseball team rallied from a 6-3 deficit in the second game to score four runs in the final three innings as the Royals split their first Old Dominion Athletic Conference double header with Roanoke College on Tuesday, March 11, in Salem, Va.

EMU is now 5-11 overall this season after the two-game split and 1-1 in the ODAC. Roanoke is 6-5 on the year and 2-2 in the conference. Statistics for the two games are not yet available.

The Royals were defeated 3-1 in the first game of the afternoon as they spoiled a strong pitching performance from sophomore right hander Jesse Baker (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) who went six innings for the complete game, allowing nine hits, three runs, two walks, while striking out four.

Roanoke starting pitcher Drew Wallace also pitched a strong game for the home team as he picked up the win. Wallace gave up only seven hits, one run, and issued one walk compared to eight strike outs in the win.

Sophomore second baseman Cody Davis (Goodview, Va./Staunton River) had two hits in three trips to the plate for EMU.

In the second game the Royals fell behind 6-3 as the Maroons were paced by Graham and Brennan Thacker who each had two RBIs for the home team.

The visiting Royals used a big three run inning in the top of the seventh to again battle back to a tie with the Maroons. EMU, which had rebounded from another deficit against Penn State-Harrisburg on Monday, used the momentum they gained from the seventh inning to score another run in the top of the eighth as sophomore first baseman/pitcher Jeff Walker (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) went 4-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs while sophomore designated hitter Zach Polloni (Hatfield, Pa./Christopher Dock) had three hits in four trips to the plate with two runs scored an an RBI.

Walker picked up his first collegiate win in relief of starter Michael Moles (Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro) as he went four innings, allowing only one hit with one walk while striking out two Maroons.

Freshman catcher Chris Handler (Mesa, Ariz./Skyline) had a hit and two runs scored in three trips to the dish.

EMU will return to the diamond on Thursday, March 13, as the Royals travel to Fredericksburg, Va., to take on Mary Washington for a single game starting at 3 p.m.