UChicago Walks Off Emory to Secure Doubleheader Sweep and Take UAA Lead
The University of Chicago baseball team earned a doubleheader sweep over Emory University on Friday afternoon. The Maroons cruised to a 10-0 shutout in game one before completing a 7-6 walk-off victory in game two.
Game 1: UChicago 10, Emory 0
The Maroons controlled the day's opening game from start to finish behind a dominant outing from senior pitcher John Butka.
UChicago got on the board first as Braden Jirovec stole home following an Eagles' throwing error to make it 1-0.
To add on another run, Nathan Bae delivered a sacrifice fly to bring home Luke Weston and go up by two in the bottom of the third. The Maroons added a single run in each of the next two innings, but it wasn't until the sixth UChicago took complete dominance.
Erik Rindner slammed a single into right center, driving in two runs for the Maroons. Up 6-0 going into the top of the seventh, UChicago knew that behind Butka's pitching and a strong offensive performance, they could end the game.
Butka faced four to give the Maroons their turn on offense.
Bae got on base with a single. Harrison Belden and Ryan Bhojwani walked to load the bases with no outs as Max Weisner came to the plate. Weisner reached on an error as both Bae and Belden scored to put the Maroons up 8-0. Weston came up the plate with one out for the Maroons and shot a double into right field to bring home Weisner and Bhojwani to finish the game 10-0 in seven innings.
Bae went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk, while he, Weston, Weisner, and Rindner each drove in a pair of runs.
On the mound, Butka dominated, tossing a seven-inning shutout while allowing just two hits and one walk with six strikeouts to improve to 5-0 on the season.
Game 2: UChicago 7, Emory 6
The second game of the day turned into a back-and-forth battle, with the Maroons delivering in the final inning to complete the Friday sweep.
UChicago took an early lead in the first inning on an RBI single from Erik Rindner, then extended the lead in the third with back-to-back solo home runs from Rindner and Nathan Bae to go up 3-0.
The Eagles responded with two runs in the fourth and tied the game in the sixth before taking a 5-4 lead in the seventh.
As the Maroons had gone scoreless in the past inning, they answered immediately in the seventh as Rindner launched his second home run of the game to bring in Braden Jirovec and put the Maroons up by one.
The Eagles tied the game again in the eighth, and both teams were fired up heading into the ninth.
In the top of the ninth, Emory went three up three down as David Flanagan delivered a clutch 14-pitch performance.
In the bottom, Jirovec led off with a single and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Ridner struckout, but Michael Gladden delivered the game-winning hit, lining a double down the left field line to bring home Jirovec and claim the 7-6 walk-off victory.
Rindner led the offense with two home runs, three total hits, and four RBIs. Bae and Jirovec added two hits apiece and two RBIs. Gladden finished with two hits, including the game-winning RBI double.
Flanagan earned the win, striking out four over the final 1.1 innings to help set up the walk-off finish.
The walk-off finish was UChicago's first of the season. They move to 16-13 overall and 9-5 in UAA play.