The Eastern Mennonite baseball team played a doubleheader at Ferrum Sunday afternoon. Although both contests were close and the men actually out-hit the Panthers on the day, Ferrum took both contests on their home field.

Ferrum 6, EMU 2
Box Score
Ferrum gradually built a 6-0 lead after six innings, as the Royals committed four errors in the field.

In their final at-bat, the men broke through. Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) brought in a pair of runs with a one-out double, but was thrown out trying to reach third base when the second run scored. That ended the rally as well, as the Panthers held on for the 6-2 win.

Andy Richter (Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) pitched all six innings for EMU and took the loss. He allowed seven hits but only three of the runs were earned.

The offense churned out nine hits in the seven-inning game, although only B.J. Mortimer (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis) managed two hits. He also had a walk and scored a run. Banglesdorf finished with a pair of RBIs off his double.

Ferrum 7, EMU 6
Box Score
The nine-inning nightcap was full of drama. A sacrifice fly and an RBI single gave the Royals a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Another sac fly in the fourth made it 3-1.

But the Panthers took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the frame with four hits and two EMU errors.

Banglesdorf doubled in a pair of runs to tie the game in the top of the fifth. Michael Wade (New Hope, Va./Fort Defiance) followed with his second RBI single of the game to put the Royals back on top.

After Wade stole second base with nobody out, three straight batters were retired, leaving EMU with a precarious one-run cushion at 6-5.

In the bottom of the seventh, Ferrum got to reliever Jon Trice (Stuarts Draft, Va./Stuarts Draft) and loaded the bases with one out. Closer Thomas Worley (Prince George, Va./Prince George) came in but walked the first batter, tying the score at 7-7. A single gave the Panthers the lead before Worley struck out two batters to close the inning.

The Royals had a couple of runners on in the eighth, but couldn't score and went down in order in the nith, taking the 7-6 loss.

Both teams had nine hits but EMU committed another three errors. Starter Adam Posey (Poquoson, Va./Poquoson) lasted 5-1/3 innings. He allowed six hits and five runs, although only one was earned. Trice was charged with the loss.

Chris Harpine (Fredericksburg, Va./Colonial Forge) went 3-5 with two runs. Banglesdorf finished with three RBIs and Wade went 2-3 with a pair of RBIs.

The losses drop Eastern Mennonite to 2-4 after their season opening road games. The Royals have their home opener this Saturday, welcoming in Messiah for a doubleheader. First pitch in Harrisonburg is 12:00 noon.