Box Score (Game One)
Box Score (Game Two)

An RBI single by freshman catcher Dylan Smith (Sterling, Va./Park View) in the top of the eighth inning gave the Eastern Mennonite University baseball team its second win of 2009 as the Royals split a non-conference double header with Averett University Sunday afternoon.

The second game of the double header was called in the seventh inning due to darkness. The score was tied at 11 all when it concluded.

Following the today's results EMU now has a 2-3-1 overall record as they head into next week's opening game. The Royals will host the Hornets of Shenandoah University on Wednesday, February 25, for a 3 p.m., single game.

Averett now stands at 4-8-1 on the year.

The teams entered the bottom of the fourth in the first game in a 1-1 tie. EMU starting pitcher Michael Moles (Waynesboro, Va./Stuarts Draft) was pitching a solid game until it his defense betrayed him with two runs, both unearned, on two hits.

In the top of the fifth the Royals turned the table on Averett as they went up 4-3 as sophomore first baseman Jake Norman (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) had the big blow of the inning as he pushed two runners across on an RBI single to right-field. Averett pitcher Chase Hall then got the next two batters to strike out to end the inning.

Heading into the bottom half of the frame the Cougars pounced on another Royal miscue as Averett added another two runs to their score, putting the home team up 5-4.

Moles scattered seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Sophomore outfielder Chris Harpine (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) led off the top of the seventh inning with a triple and later came around to score on an RBI single by Daniel Martin (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite), tying the game at five. The Cougars had a pair of hits in the bottom half of the inning but were unable to get a run across the plate.

In the top of the eighth the Royals pushed across the eventual winning run as junior second baseman Cody Davis (Goodview, Va./Staunton River) reached on an error and then moved to second on a single by Ben Wise (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee). Following a strike out, Smith came up to bat and laced a single to left, scoring Davis. Harpine then entered the game in the bottom of the inning and shut the door on the Cougars, recording his first save of 2009.

Smith finished 3-for-4 with two RBI. Norman and Martin each had two RBI while Wise had three hits in five trips to the plate.

In the second game the Royals opened up with a four-run first inning as Davis and Wise reached on base hits with Harpine following with a three-run blast, his first of the year. Junior shortstop Aaron Martin (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) then added an RBI single later in the inning to cap the scoring.

Averett scratched a run across in the bottom half of the frame and then added another run in the bottom of the fourth. With the score at 4-2, EMU opened up another scoring barrage as the Royals pushed a season-high six runs across the board. Davis scored two runners on an RBI double while Harpine added another RBI single to right.

EMU had 11 batters come to the plate in the inning with Averett committing two errors.

The Cougars got a measure of revenge before the game was called off in the seventh as the home team put up a nine spot as RBI singles by Brian Knowles and Carlos Fernandez and several wild pitches contributed to the offensive outburst. Harpine came in and got the last two outs of the inning before further damange was done.

Wise was 4-for-5 in the second game with three runs scored. Harpine finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBI.

AU's Michael Moore was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.