DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University baseball fell 4-2 to non-conference foe Eastern Mennonite University on Wednesday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field.

Down 4-1, Averett (1-7) threatened to come back in the bottom of the ninth inning. Junior Kyle Vidano scored thanks to an error, and the Cougars had the tying runs aboard before Eastern Mennonite (4-2) induced a game-ending groundout.
 
Eastern Mennonite built a 2-0 lead with the help of an error in the first inning. Brett Lindsay singled to right field to plate both runs for the Royals. The Cougars' offense struck in the fifth to get back within one run. Junior A.J. Hart singled to lead off the inning and then stole second. With one out, sophomore Hunter LePrell reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners. Freshman Dalton Coleman's grounder to third base was bobbled, allowing Hart to come home.

The Royals added another insurance run in the top of the sixth. Lindsay singled to lead off the frame and later scored on another Cougars' error, giving EMU a 3-1 advantage. The Royals tacked on one more run in the eighth thanks to an RBI groundout.

Offensively, senior Dallas Smithers and junior Matt Tuggle each had a pair of hits for the Cougars, who outhit Eastern Mennonite 10-5.

Freshman left-hander Cole Spain went 5 1/3 innings on the mound for Averett, striking out five while allowing four hits, three walks and three runs — all unearned.

The Cougars begin a three-game home series with conference foe Greensboro College on Friday at 1 p.m.