HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – After opening ODAC play against Lynchburg on Saturday, the EMU Baseball team went from one group of Hornets to another, welcoming Shenandoah University to Royal Field on Thursday.
Shenandoah entered the game ranked seventh nationally in the D3baseball.com poll. The Diamond Royals made sure that they will be drop in the polls next week as they stunned the Hornets and came away with the 11-4 victory. The win marks EMU’s second straight win over Shenandoah after dropping the previous 11 in the series.
It is the Diamond Royal’s first win over a ranked opponent since they defeated Randolph Macon in the ODAC Tournament on May 9, 2021. The Yellow Jackets were ranked 21st at the time when EMU beat them 7-4. Furthermore, this is EMU’s first win against a top-10 ranked opponent since April 6, 2019. Coincidentally, that also came against Randolph Macon as the Royals beat the then eighth-ranked Yellow Jackets 5-4 in the second game of a doubleheader.
Trevor Selph had a career day to aid the Royals’ cause, going 5-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.
Records: EMU 8-8, 1-2 ODAC | Shenandoah 16-3, 3-3 ODAC
WP: Andrew Lee (1-0)
LP: Michael Meyers (2-1)
Highlights
• The Royals lit up the scoreboard first when Selph knocked a double down the left field line to bring in Michael Duncan for the first run of the game. Following a scoreless second inning, Shenandoah tied the game at 1 with a run in the top of the third off of a bases load hit by pitch.
• In the bottom of the fourth, EMU created some separation with three runs. Jett Cabanban smacked a double down the left field line, allowing both Selph and Erik Wilkinson to score. A few batters later, Dalton Rocke reached on a fielder’s choice, opening the door for Cabanban to reach home himself and make it a 4-1 ballgame.
• Cabanban struck again in the bottom of the fifth with another double to left field to bring in Wilkinson and extend the Royals’ lead to four runs at 5-1. The Hornets, however, battled back with three runs in the sixth inning to creep within one run, 5-4.
• The Royals put the game out of reach with a massive, six-run bottom of the eighth. Trevor Gjormand touched home plate after Wilkinson drew a bases-loaded walk. Selph then singled to center field to bring in Rocke and Michael Duncan. The next batter was Cabanban, who smacked a single up the middle to send Wilkinson home. Finally, Noah Sanderson singled through the right side to bring home both Cabanban and pinch runner Kyler Rodgers to go up 11-4.
• Jack Hinton came on relief and struck out the side in the ninth to shut the door on Shenandoah.
Statistical Leaders
Selph: 5-for-5, 2B, 1 run, 3 RBIs
Cabanban: 3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 runs, 4 RBIs
Wilkinson: 2-for-3, 3 runs, RBI
Lee: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Hinton: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 Ks
What’s Next
The Diamond Royals will look to knock off another ranked opponent this Saturday, March 21 when they hit the road to take on #24 Roanoke College in a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11 a.m.
— EMU Athletics —
