HARRISONBURG, Va. – The EMU Baseball team returned home for its third game in as many days, playing host to Hamilton College at Royals Field on Thursday. It was not a happy homecoming for the Royals as the visiting Continentals scored early and often to hand EMU a disappointing 17-4 defeat in an eight-inning contest.

In total, 23 different Royals saw game action in the loss, allowing several young players to obtain important game experience before the main part of the ODAC slate.   

Records: EMU 3-9 | Hamilton 3-4

WP: Kyle Egidio (1-0)
LP: Will Waller (0-1)
Save: N/A

Highlights

• Hamilton did not take long to score first, making it 1-0 in the top of the first with an RBI single by Michael Tallarida. The Continentals added two more runs in the top of the third to make the score 3-0 after three innings.
• The Royals got one run across in the bottom of the fourth when Chris Polymeropoulos singled up the middle to bring home Alec Riles. That cut EMU's deficit to 3-1 through four.
• Hamilton responded with eight unanswered runs across the fifth and sixth innings to grow their lead to 11-1 through six.
• EMU's biggest inning of offense came in the seventh. Aidan Miller singled through the left side to plate Nick Arnold. Then, Alec Riles grounded out to the Hamilton first basemen, but Ethan Spraker seized the opportunity to reach home. Two batters later, Harding smashed a single up the middle to bring in Miller. The three-run seventh drew the Royals within seven runs at 11-4.
• However, Hamilton put any hopes of an EMU comeback to rest by scoring six runs in the top of the eighth.

Statistical Leaders
Spraker: 1-for-4, 1 run
Arnold: 1-for-3, 1 run
Marcus Smith and Cooper Thomas: 2 Ks each

What's Next
EMU Baseball will hope for better things in their return to ODAC play this Saturday, March 16 when they host Virginia Wesleyan for a doubleheader at Royals Field. First pitch of game one versus the Marlins will be at 12 p.m.