EMU 8, Hampden-Sydney 3
The Royals scored the first run of the game in the top of the second, but HSC answered with single runs in the second and third to jump ahead, 2-1.

The men used small ball to take over in the sixth.聽 Two singles and a sacrifice put runners on the second and third, and (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) had the clutch two-out hit, scoring both runners to put EMU up 3-2.

(West Point, VA/Christchurch) had an RBI single in the seventh and (Miramar, FL/Pace) knocked in two more with a single in the eighth.聽 Back-to-back RBI doubles from (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) and (Greenville, VA/Riverheads) gave the Royals their final runs in the 8-3 win.

(Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) went the distance from the hill to improve to 4-0.聽 He scattered seven hits, struck out three and allowed two earned runs.

Five men each had two hits in EMU’s 13-hit attack.聽 Rodriguez was 2-4 with two RBIs and a run.聽 Estrada rapped a pair of doubles with a run and an RBI.聽 (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) singled twice and scored twice.聽 Mortimer was 2-5 with two RBIs and a run, while Posey also singled twice and scored.

EMU 7, Hampden-Sydney 0
Senior (Henrico, VA/Varina) was in control from the mound in game two, holding the Tigers to just five hits in a complete game shutout.聽 It was his third complete game shutout of the year, and his first of the nine-inning variety, as he improved to 4-2.

The offense took advantage of five Hampden-Sydney errors as five of the seven runs were unearned.聽 EMU played great small ball again in the game, as all eight of their hits were singles and they had four walks and two sacrifices.

Posey and Rodriguez each singled and walked and scored twice.

With the impressive wins, the Royals improve to 13-10 overall and 3-3 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.聽 Next up is a non-conference date with Averett on Tuesday in Harrisonburg.聽 Although there have been different start times mentioned, the correct first pitch will be at 4 p.m.

EMU 5, MCLA 2

Both teams played small ball to a 2-2 tie after four innings of play. The Royals finally broke through in their final at-bat of the seven-inning contest.

Austin Oliver (Gordonsville, VA/Orange County) led off with a single, and two batters later Ryan McAlister (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) hit a clutch two-run single to put EMU up 4-2. Kyle Armstrong (Greenville, VA/Riverheads) added an RBI single to provide the final 5-2 tally.

Adam Posey (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to complete the win. He gave up one earned run on four hits to improve to 3-0.

Armstrong led the offense with a pair of singles and a walk. McAlister had the big two-run hit in the seventh and Justin Rodriguez (Miramar, FL/Pace) reached base twice with a single and a walk.

EMU 9, MCLA 0

The Royals methodically scored in four of their six at-bats in the second game of the twin bill to secure the shutout.

Daniel Stanley (Henrico, VA/Varina) was untouchable from the hill and struck out 10 while allowing only four hits. He didn’t walk a batter. The senior is now 3-2 on the year.

McAlister was 2-3 with a walk and two runs. B.J. Mortimer (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) had a pair of sacrifice flies and scored a run. Zach Bowles (Staunton, VA/Robert E. Lee) was 2-4 with two RBIs and a run while Oliver and Phillip Jordan (West Point, VA/Christchurch) each had a pair of RBIs as well. Rodriguez scored twice.

EMU 7, Wittenberg 5

The Royals also had a win over Wittenberg on Thursday, jumping to a 5-0 lead and holding on for the decision. Armstrong got the final out for the save while Casey Harlow (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) pitched the first 5.2 innings for the win. Harlow struck out six and allowed two runs on four hits.

Oliver led the offense with two hits and two RBIs. Jordan and Jonathan Estrada (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) each went 1-3 with an RBI.

After the drive back from Florida, Eastern Mennonite has a couple of days off before they take on new Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponent Shenandoah at home next Wednesday. Game time is set for 4 p.m. in Harrisonburg.

EMU 9, Mount Saint Vincent 1
The men pounded out 13 hits in the opener and jumped ahead in the bottom of the first when (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) ripped a two-run triple.聽 (Staunton, VA/Robert E. Lee) added a run-scoring triple in the third to make it 4-0.

(Greenville, VA/Riverheads) jumped on the three bagger parade in the sixth, as his two-run triple highlighted a five-run frame.

The visiting Dolphins got their only run on a one-out groundout in the seventh.

(Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) improves to 2-0 with the complete game win, as he struck out seven and scattered three hits.

Estrada finished 3-4 with three runs and two RBIs, as the catcher was a homer short of hitting for the cycle.聽 (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) was 2-3 with two RBIs and a run while Armstrong went 2-4 with two RBIs and a run.聽 (Miramar, FL/Pace) walked and singled and scored twice.

EMU 16, Mount Saint Vincent 2
The men picked up their second 16-2 win of the season in the nightcap, pounding out 17 hits.聽 They scored at least one run in each of the six innings the offense came to the plate.

(Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) had the biggest swing, ripping a two-run homer in the sixth.聽 It was the junior’s first homerun of his collegiate career.

Mortimer keyed the attack out of the five-spot, batting 3-5 with four runs scored and two RBIs.聽 Armstrong missed the cycle by a homer and finished 4-5 with a pair of RBIs and a run.聽 Posey had a double and three walks, and scored four times.

McAlister, Estrada and Bowles each had two hits.

(Henrico, VA/Varina) threw the first six innings and improved to 2-1.聽 EMU’s ace struck out eight Dolphins.聽 Armstrong struck out a pair as he pitched the seventh.

Eastern Mennonite is now on a four-game winning streak.聽 The men have also won five of their last six to move two games over .500.聽 The Royals open conference play next weekend, playing a pair at Emory & Henry on Saturday before heading to Florida for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational the following week.

“(I expect) a team that is fundamental in what we do, competes every time out no matter who we are playing, understands the importance of hard work year round, and plays hard every day,” he explained.聽 “I have placed a big emphasis on making the routine play, pitchers throwing strikes, and staying within our ability level in what we do.”

Spotts, who was a long-time assistant at the perennial power of neighboring Bridgewater College, sees positive signs already.

“I am excited as we begin the 2013 season,” he said. 聽“The players have done what I have asked them to do since day one in the fall season and have been eager to learn and move this program forward in a positive direction.”

Despite having one of the best offensive seasons in program history, Eastern Mennonite finished 11-27 last spring.聽 The Royals batted .335 as a team, and broke EMU team records for hits, triples and at bats.聽 Gone from that team, however, are All-ODAC performers Dylan Smith, Beau Banglesdorf and Chris Rodriguez.

Spotts feels like he still has good group of offensive players returning.

“I think we can expect some consistency throughout our lineup,” he said.聽 “We lost some hitters to graduation who had good numbers but I feel we will have a solid approach every day and hope to be very aggressive on the bases.”

All-ODAC Second Team third basemen (Miramar, FL/Pace), who was an ODAC Rookie of the Year candidate last spring, returns after batting .374 with four homeruns and 41 RBIs in his freshman campaign.聽 Senior outfielder (Mechanicsville, VA/Lee-Davis) also returns.聽 He was among national leaders with his 12 sacrifices last year, adding a .304 batting average.

Junior (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby) is back at second base after batting .312 with eight sacrifices and a team high ten stolen bases.聽 Also anchoring the returners are junior catcher (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) with his .310 batting average along with senior outfielder (West Point, VA/Christchurch) and a .429 batting clip.

Spotts thinks that experienced core will help lead his team.

“I feel we will have a solid team defensively who can make the routine play, an offense that I think can be consistent one through nine, and three veteran starters on the mound,” he said.

The returning base of pitchers is a bit smaller, but does give EMU some experience.

As a junior transfer last spring, (Henrico, VA/Varina) led the Royals in starts, innings and strikeouts while tying for team highs in wins and complete games.聽 He charted a 2-4 record with a 6.25 ERA.聽 Classmate (Louisa, VA/Louisa County) was also 2-4 last year with a save, notching a team best 4.28 ERA.聽 (Poquoson, VA/Poquoson) finished 1-3 with a complete game as a sophomore.

The trio of right handers will be the top three of Spott’s pitching rotation.聽 As a team, the Royals struggled to stop opponents in 2012, giving up a .345 batting average with a 7.81 ERA.

“I know this is a big question mark for our team this year,” Spotts acknowledged.聽 聽“I have three veteran guys who will be in a starting role so I am looking for them to log some innings and give us a good start every time out.聽 Coach (Bill) Buracker has done a good job with our pitching staff on giving them a solid plan every day to improve.”

With pitching depth being an issue at EMU for a number of years, Spotts knows it will be hard to turn that issue around in one year.

“We have placed a big emphasis on throwing strikes and competing every day on the mound,” he said.聽 “It takes time to build a staff that has the needed depth and roles for a 40-game schedule, but I am excited in what this year’s staff can bring if they are consistent every time they go on the mound.”

Among the newcomers to the team this year, two of the expected impact players will help give EMU depth on the mound and in the field: sophomore Mary Washington-transfer (Greenville, VA/Riverheads) and freshman (Gordonsville, VA/Orange County).聽 (Fredericksburg, VA/Stafford), a sophomore transfer from St. Andrews University, will see time at shortstop.

While the Royals aren’t expecting to win the ODAC this year, they are expecting to build towards that.

“Our goals are to get better every day and understand the work it takes to build a championship program,” explained Spotts, “to learn to compete and play hard every day, and to make the conference tournament.”

After being picked to finish last out of 11 teams in the ODAC Preseason Poll, Eastern Mennonite will be looking to turn some heads this spring.聽 Spotts’ former team, Bridgewater, was picked first in the poll, followed a vote behind by Lynchburg and one more tally behind by ODAC-newcomer Shenandoah.

Spotts says that as the Royals aim for that upper echelon, an expectation to work hard is the place to start.

“This year is a new direction,” he said. 聽“There is a foundation that is being laid this year for the future on what it takes and means to be a college-level baseball player and to compete every time we step on the field.”

EMU opens the season Saturday, Feb. 2, with a doubleheader at North Carolina Wesleyan in Rocky Mount, NC.聽 They play a single game at Ferrum College on Sunday.

NC Wesleyan 5, EMU 2
In game one, the Royals jumped on the board in their first at-bat of the year.聽 Freshman (Lansdale, PA/Christopher Dock) led off with a double to right.聽 He took third when (Sterling, PA/Park View) reach on a two-out error.聽 Smith was subsequently picked off first base, but he stayed in the pickle long enough for Melendez to touch home.

The Battling Bishops took the lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs.聽 But EMU came right back in the third.

(Miami, FL/Pace) led off with a walk and scored when Melendez smacked his second double.聽 (Crozet, VA/Western Albemarle) sacrificed Melendez to third, but a pair of infield outs ended the frame with the score tied at 2-2.

North Carolina Wesleyan strung together three hits in the fifth to plate three runs and go back on top.聽 The men then got two runners on in the sixth, but a pair of fly balls ended the threat.

Melendez walked to lead off the Royal’s final chance in the seventh, but a double play emptied the bases and cut down the rally.

(Louisa, VA/Louisa County) took the opening day start and took the loss.聽 He gave up only six hits, but allowed five runs (four earned) while striking out four.聽 Freshman (Shippensburg, PA/Shippensburg) struck out two in his one inning.

Melendez had a successful debut, reaching base in all four of his trips to the plate and factoring in both of EMU’s runs.聽 He finished with two doubles and two walks, scoring one run and driving in the other.聽 Smith and (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) had the other two of the men’s four hits.

EMU 9, NC Wesleyan 1
The Royals were in control in the nine-inning nightcap.聽 (Miramar, FL/Pace) laced a two-run, two-out single in the men’s first at-bat, then brought in the first run of a three-run rally in the third by getting hit with a pitch.

The Battling Bishops scored their lone run on a two-out single in the fifth, but EMU put up back-to-back two-spots in the 6^th and 7^th.聽 Melendez shot a two-run long ball to right to provide the final runs on the team’s first homerun of the year.

Eastern Mennonite had 10 hits in the second game, and junior transfer (Varina, VA/Varina) scattered five hits over seven innings in his EMU debut.聽 He struck out six.聽 (New Market, VA/Stonewall Jackson) provided two inning of scoreless relief.

Melendez finished 2-5 with three runs and a pair of RBIs from his homer.聽 Smith had three hits including one double.

Justin Rodriguez finished with a pair of hits and four RBIs.聽 Sophomore (Miami, FL/Doral Academy) scored three runs.

The Royals, now 1-1, return to Harrisonburg for their home opener on Wednesday.聽 Mary Washington will come in for a single game at 3:00pm.