ATLANTA, GA-The York College dropped their opening two games at the Emory University Rawlings Southern Classic on Saturday in Atlanta, GA. The Greensboro Pride knocked off the 25th ranked Spartans, 8-4, in the opener. In the nightcap, #5 Emory blanked the Spartans 7-0 in a battle of nationally ranked squads. The Spartans are now 0-2 for the campaign.

In the season lid-lifter, the green and white opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Anthony Anzalone (Rocky Point, N.Y./Rocky Point) singled to lead off the inning. He advanced to third when sophomore Mike Connolly (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) singled to first, putting Spartans at the corners with one out. Junior Ryan Poff (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) lifted a sacrifice fly to right centerfield, scoring Anzalone with the Spartans' first run of the year.

The Pride responded with two runs in the top of the second courtesy of a Jacob Tomb triple to leftfield. Greensboro pushed the lead to 5-1 with three more runs off Spartan starter Matt Austin (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock) in the top of the third. Pride designated hitter Dan Poindexter had a two-run double in the frame while Tyler O’Neil added a sacrifice fly to account for the other run in the inning.

The Pride pushed the lead to 6-1 in the top of the fourth as Kyle Bolick banged out RBI ground out to short.

The Spartans trimmed the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth as shortstop Tim Frisch (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) drilled a two-run single to right, plating Steve Pokopec (York, Pa./Northeastern) and C.T. Stanley (Timonium, Md./Calvert Hall College).

Greensboro scored in the top of the seventh to increase the lead to 7-3 but Poff hammered a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth, drawing the Spartans to 7-4. The Pride closed out the scoring in the top of the ninth on a Poindexter run scoring single up the middle.

Austin took the loss as the junior falls to 0-1. He allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits in seven innings of work. Austin struck out four and walked one but did hit three batters in the game. Freshman Taylor Gunder (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) made his collegiate debut as he threw two innings, allowing one run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Kit Mock earned the win as he went the distance for Greensboro. He allowed four runs on nine hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter. Mock threw 124 pitches in the complete game effort. He is now 3-1 in 2008.

Connolly, Pokopec, and Frisch led the Spartan offense with two hits each. Frisch added two RBI while Pokopec scored once for YCP. Poff was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Anzalone was 1-for-5 with a run scored.

Poindexter and Tomb each had three hits for the Pride. Poindexter was 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Tom added a pair of RBI and a run scored. He had one double and one triple in the game. Anthony Corona added two hits and a pair of runs scored for the Pride.

In the second game of the day, the game was scoreless through the first three innings as Spartan ace Jason Christenberry (Yoe, Pa./Dallastown) was stellar in his first three frames as he allowed just one hit the first time through the Emory lineup. Eagle starter Elliot Coor was equally good as he held the Spartans without a hit until Mike Santoro (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) singled up the middle to open the third.

The third inning would haunt the Spartans as the game wore on. After Santoro’s leadoff single, Pokopec doubled to left center putting Spartans at second and third with no outs. Coor then buckled down to get a foul out, a strike out, and a fly out to right leaving Santoro at third and Pokopec at second.

The Eagles finally reached Christenberry in the fourth. Emory began the uprising with an infield single and a double to left center putting Eagles at second and third, just like the Spartans did an inning and a half earlier. Unlike the Spartans, Emory made Christenberry pay as catcher Jeremy Bolian singled to plate the two runs and give Emory the 2-0 lead. The Eagles tacked on an unearned run in the inning as they led 3-0 through four.

The Spartans attempted to answer the Eagles in the fifth as Santoro and Pokopec had back-to-back singles but Frisch lined into a double play, short-circuiting the inning. Anzalone singled after the double play but a fly out ended the inning without York being able to get on the board.

Emory added a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh and two more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to provide for their final margin of victory.

Coor earned the win as he improves to 2-0. He tossed seven shutout innings, allowing seven hits with five strikeouts and a pair of walks. Adam Genn and Matthew Katten each tossed scoreless innings in relief for Emory.

Christenberry took the loss as he allowed five runs, four earned, in seven innings of work. The loss is the first in his college career after he went 6-0 as a freshman in 2007. Christenberry struck out five and walked just one in his season-opening stint. Freshman Michael Roberts (Oceanside, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) got his feet wet with his first collegiate appearance. Roberts allowed two runs on three hits with a walk in his lone inning of action.

Dan Molnar led the Emory offense, as he was 2-for-4 with a run scored. He was the only Eagle with multiple hits. Joe Roth was 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while Frank Pfister added a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Bolian was 1-for-4 with a pair of RBI while Andrew Cohn was 1-for-3 with two runs scored.

Santoro and Pokopec paced the Spartan offense as they each had two hits. Connolly added two hits to the nine hit Spartan attack. York left 10 runners stranded in the game and hit into a pair of double plays in the game.

The Spartans return to action on Sunday morning as they face Greensboro in their final game of the tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 am.

GREENSBORO BOX

EMORY BOX