MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – Top-seeded Emory University punched its ticket to the NCAA Division III National Championships for the third straight year with a 15-2 victory over third-seeded Shenandoah in the NCAA South Regional Sunday afternoon.
No. 9/11 Shenandoah (35-12) scored two runs in the top of the first on one hit, a walk and a crucial Emory (34-10) error only to see the Eagles answer with four runs in the bottom of the frame.
Emory, ranked sixth by D3baseball.com and fifth by the ABCA, took advantage of a pair of walks by Hornets starter Michael Scimanico (8-2) to score the four runs on two hits and two SU errors.
Scimanico, who departed after 5 1/3 innings, settled in after the first until giving up one run in the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Classmate Ryan Mossman gave up two more runs on two hits before a third senior, Eric Liskey, got the final out of the sixth.
Emory added two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to provide the final margin of victory.
Eagles starter Paul Merolla (4-1) scattered four hits and allowed just the two runs (one earned) while walking four and striking out three in 7.0 innings.
Freshman Luke Nussman had two of the Hornets four hits with Tristan Baker, Abel Arocho, Jake Loew and John Wilt all getting one each.
Baker, Wilt, Lew Johnson and Phil Morse were all named to the All-Regional team.
The 35 wins is the fourth best total in program history after 38 wins in both 2009 and 2010 and a 37-win season in 2011.
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