MOUNT BERRY, Ga. --- No. 6/5 Emory University advanced to the NCAA South Region Championship game with a 14-7 victory over No. 9/11 Shenandoah University Saturday afternoon.

Shenandoah (34-11) dominated the first two innings, jumping out to a 6-0 lead over the Eagles (33-10), but everything changed following a 45-minute weather delay.  Emory scored seven runs in the third, knocking out Hornets starter Colin Morse, before adding three in the fourth and one in the fifth to pull away from SU.

Shenandoah had nine hits in the opening two frames to take that early lead, but managed just five more the rest of the way versus four Eagles pitchers.

Junior southpaw Luke Emmett, who came on in the fourth for Emory, earned the victory 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief. Emmett (3-1) walked two and struck out four in relief of Billy Dimlow.

Dimlow lasted an inning longer than Morse, but it didn't look that would be the case early as five of the first six SU batters versus Dimlow reached safely.

Only designated hitter Jake Loew, who had a sacrifice fly, failed to reach in that opening stretch. SeniorLew Johnson had the big blow in the frame with a two-run single up the middle with Joe Coleman,Tristan Baker, Abel Arocho, John Wilt and Robert Marcelle all joining Johnson in getting first inning hits.

In the second, Johnson recorded his third RBI of the contest with a single to right center to score Baker, who had led off with a double to left.

Loew, who had drawn a walk, scored one batter later on a Luke Nussman single to left center to put the Hornets up 6-0.

Morse worked a scoreless second, allowing a two-out walk, before the game was halted due to a weather cell that was passing through the area. The tarp was placed on the field for approximately 20 minutes until the cell passed through the area.

Tyler Hott (1-2) took the loss. He allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks in 2.0 innings of work.

Wilt and Baker both had three hits each with Johnson finishing 2-for-4 with the three RBI.

The loss put Shenandoah into a elimination game Saturday evening versus the winner of the Thomas More (Ky.)/Birmingham-Southern game. The winner of that contest will have to beat Emory twice on Sunday in order to win the regional championship.

Notes: Shenandoah lost for the first time this season when outhitting its opponent. SU was 26-0 when outhitting its opponent prior to today's game… The Hornets also for the first time in 11 games wearing the blue jersey tops…

--- This release is courtesy of the Shenandoah University sports information department. ---
www.suhornets.com