CARY, N.C. (EMU Athletics) – On the heels of a tough walk off loss on Friday, EMU Baseball sought a bounce back Saturday with a doubleheader against William Peace at the USA Baseball National Training Center in Cary, N.C.

It was mission accomplished for the Diamond Royals as the bats came alive for a doubleheader sweep of the Pacers, 10-9 in game one and 14-4 in a seven-inning game two.

Records: EMU 2-2 | William Peace 1-1

Game One: EMU 10, William Peace 9
WP: Jack Hinton (1-0)
LP: Logan Jamrosz (0-1)

Highlights
• William Peace got out to an early lead with one run in the first inning and three runs in the second, leading the Royals 4-0.
• EMU got on the board on the top of the fourth with the longball. Dalton Rocke hit a solo home run to break up the shutout. The Pacers did get that run back in the bottom of the inning to make the score William Peace 5, EMU 1 through four innings.
• The Royals continued to produce offensively with two more runs in the top of the fifth. Daniel McGinnis and Michael Duncan both used good plate discipline to walk in runs as Erik Wilkinson and Aidan Miller both touched home plate. That brought the Royals to within two of the Pacers, 5-3 through five innings.
• Following a scoreless sixth inning, the two teams combined for nine runs in the seventh, five by the Royals and four by William Peace. In the top of the seventh, Jett Cabanban belted a three-run double to left centerfield, clearing the bases and bringing home McGinnis, Duncan, and Noah Sanderson. Cabanban then advanced home on a passed ball by the Pacers’ catcher, and Dylan Hall rounded out the half-inning of scoring with a double down the left field line, allowing Brendan White to score. This gave EMU a 8-5 lead in the seventh inning stretch that proved to be short-live as William Peace took a 9-8 lead after they scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh.
• The Royals tied things up with a run in the top of the eighth when Rocke scored off of a Sanderson RBI groundout.
• EMU’s winning run came in the top of the ninth as Rocke brought in Hall with a sac fly to centerfield.
• The Pacers came close to tying or winning the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Hinton buckled down on the mound and came up with a clutch strikeout to seal the win for the Royals.

Statistical Leaders
Rocke: 1-for-3, HR (1) 2 runs, 2 RBIs
Cabanban: 1-for-2, 2B, 3 RBIs
McGinnis: 2-for-2, run, 4 BBs
Hinton: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 Ks

Game Two: EMU 14, William Peace 4 (7 Innings)
WP: Zach Danielczyk (1-0)
LP: Aidan VanRider (0-1)
• Unlike game one, it was the Royals who seized the early lead. After a scoreless first and second inning, EMU went off with six runs in the third. Miller commenced the scoring with a sac fly to left field as Sanderson tagged up to score. After Duncan walked in a run, Cabanban singled up the middle to plate Rocke. Mattox Flatt, starting at catcher for game two, brought in a run on a bases loaded hit by pitch. Duncan then touched home plate following a wild pitch. After getting home on a sac fly, Sanderson returned the favor with a sac fly of his own to bring home Cabanban and cap off the third inning scoring for the Royals. After William Peace brought in three runs of their own EMU led 6-3 through three innings.
• EMU added an additional two runs in the fourth, both of which came on mistakes by the Pacers. Miller reached home on a wild pitch, followed by McGinnis scoring on an error by William Peace’s shortstop.
• The fifth saw no runs scored, but the sixth inning was a very different story as the Royals pushed five runs across. McGinnis brought in one on a bases loaded walk, followed by Rocke coming home on an error by the Pacers’ catcher. The big moment of game two came when Cabanban hammered a home run to left field, a three-run shot that brought in himself, McGinnis and Duncan. The Pacers got one of those runs back in the bottom half, but the Royals were in command with a 13-4 lead.
• The Royals got back out to a 10-run lead in the top of the seventh on Miller’s second sac fly of the game. Coincidentally, Sanderson scored on this one as well. That made the score EMU 14, William Peace 4.
• Carter Mills struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the win for the Royals via the 10-run rule.

Statistical Leaders
Cabanban: 2-for-4, HR (1), 2 runs, 4 RBIs
McGinnis: 2-for-3, 3 runs, RBI
Miller: 1-for-2, 2 runs, 2 RBIs
Andrew Ritterskamp: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 Ks
Mills: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 Ks

What’s Next
The Diamond Royals look to play in front of the home fans for the first time this season when they host Christopher Newport on Tuesday, Feb. 17. First pitch from Royals Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.

— EMU Athletics —