After back-to-back non-conference games, Eastern Mennonite got back in ODAC play Saturday afternoon.  The men suffered a close loss to Lynchburg in the first game of a twinbill and couldn't stop their visitors from scoring in the nightcap, suffering a sweep.

Lynchburg 4, EMU 3
Game one of the doubleheader was a quick-moving battle of the pitchers.  The Royals snuck in the first run of the contest in the third, when Justin King (Lititz, PA/Warwick) led off with a single and came in on B.J. Mortimer's (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) double.

The Hornets finally got to starter Casey Harlow (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) in the seventh, scoring a run with a two-out walk, stolen base and RBI single.

Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, VA/Turner-Ashby) started a rally in the bottom of the seventh, hitting a one-out single.  The Royals loaded the bases with two away, and Justin Rodriguez (Miramar, FL/Pace) came through with a rocket single up the middle, scoring a pair to put EMU back in front, 3-1.

Lynchburg took the lead in the eighth, however, helped along by an EMU error.  With two away and two runners on base, Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, VA/Mountain View) relieved on the mound and served up a first-pitch homerun, which just carried over the left field wall.

The Royals got a leadoff hit in their half of the eighth, but the following batter failed to advance the runner on a sacrifice attempt.  Another single only put runners on first and second, which turned costly when the next two batters flew out to center field to leave the score 4-3.

After a scoreless top of the ninth, Dylan Smith (Sterling, VA/Park View) laced a one-out single right up the middle to get things moving for EMU.  But a groundball turned into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.

The Royals out-hit LC 12-8, but were undone by their three errors.  Mortimer led the way, going 3-5 with an RBI.  Justin Rodriguez had the other two RBIs.

King and McAlister each had two hits and a run scored.  Smith also had a pair of singles.

Harlow had a quality start but settled for a no decision, as he gave up one run and six hits over 6-2/3 innings.  Banglesdorf took the loss by allowing the homerun in 1-1/3 innings.  Logan Toney (Chesterfield, VA/Manchester) also pitched, as the three runs he and Banglesdorf allowed were all unearned.

Lynchburg 22, EMU 7
Game two featured a few innings of fireworks.  Eastern Mennonite took the first lead, scoring four runs in the second on the combination of two hits, one error, a walk and two wild pitches.

But the roles reversed in the top of the third as Lynchburg had their own rally, plating six runs to take the lead.  LC added eight more in the fifth, pushing the lead to 14-4.

Jonathan Estrada (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) hit a leadoff triple in sixth and scored on a sacrifice fly.  John Toney (Buckingham, VA/Buckingham) added a two-run single in the ninth, but Lynchburg's offense was too much in the 22-7 final.

All five of EMU's pitchers gave up at least one earned run, with starter Daniel Stanley (Henrico, VA/Varina) taking the loss.

John Toney finished 2-2 with a pair of RBIs.  Estrada was 1-2 with a couple of runs scored.  Philip Jordan (West Point, VA/Christchurch) and Brad Billings (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) each had two singles in two at-bats.

The Royals fall to 7-15 overall and 1-5 in the ODAC.  They will try to snap a five-game losing streak with a road game at Southern Virginia next Thursday.