SALEM, Va. –  Just two days removed from knocking off seventh-ranked Shenandoah, the EMU Baseball team looked to take down another ranked ODAC foe on the road, traveling down I-81 to take on Roanoke College in a Saturday doubleheader. Unfortunately, the positive momentum from Thursday did not carry over as the Maroons, ranked 24^th nationally by D3Baseball.com, swept the Diamond Royals in the weekend twin bill.
 
The highlight of the day for EMU came when Daniel McGinnis got his 100^th career hit in game one. McGinnis, a junior from Alexandria, became the second Royal to accomplish that career milestone this season, joining senior first baseman Erik Wilkinson.

Records: EMU 8-10, 1-4 ODAC | #24 Roanoke 15-4, 4-2 ODAC

Game One: #24 Roanoke 11, EMU 2
WP: Chase Booth (3-1)
LP: Walker Dixon (1-2)
S: Riley Fitzgerald (2)

Highlights

• The two teams traded scoreless frames in the first and second before Roanoke broke the stalemate with two runs in the bottom of the third.
• The Maroons broke game one open with a seven-run fifth inning to go up 9-0 on the Royals.
• In the top of the seventh, McGinnis belted a double to left field to earn his 100th career hit.
• EMU avoided the shutout with two runs in the top of the eighth. Trevor Selph continued his strong week at the dish with a double to left field to bring in Aidan Miller. Wilkinson reached home on the next play to make it a 9-2 ball game.
• Roanoke answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the eighth and then shut down the Royals in the ninth to seal up the game one win.

Statistical Leaders
Miller: 3-for-4, run scored
McGinnis: 2-for-4, 2B
David Joslyn: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 Ks

Game Two: #24 Roanoke 12, EMU 4
WP: Thomas Burgess (3-1)
LP: Zach Danielczyk (1-2)

Highlights

• Roanoke picked up right where they left off in game one, scoring five runs in the first inning and two in the second inning to stake themselves out to a 7-0 lead.
• The Royals lit up the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the third inning. Miller smacked a base hit through the left side to advance Hadikell Bruno home. Wilkinson then hit an infield single to bring home Dalton Rocke. That made the score Roanoke 7, EMU 2 through three innings.
• The Maroons expanded their lead further by scoring a run in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth inning to go up 10-2.
• EMU doubled their run total with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Selph slapped a base hit through the left side of the infield. Michael Duncan then took advantage of a fielding error by Roanoke's left fielder to reach home. A few batters later, Trevor Gjormand singled up the middle, which opened the door for Wilkinson to score and make it a 10-4 ball game.
• Roanoke got those two runs right back in the bottom half of the sixth. From there, the pitching and fielding took over as neither side could push in a run in the seventh, eighth or ninth innings to conclude game two.  

Statistical Leaders
Wilkinson: 4-for-5, 2B, run scored, RBI
Miller: 2-for-5, RBI
Carter Mills: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 Ks

What's Next
The Diamond Royals head back to Harrisonburg for a midweek ODAC matchup against Washington & Lee this Tuesday, March 24. First pitch at Royals Field is scheduled for 4 p.m.