HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (15-1, 5-1 ODAC) earned a pair of Old Dominion Athletic Conference wins in thrilling fashion Saturday afternoon over Eastern Mennonite University (9-5, 4-4 ODAC) at Gehman Field. The Wasps claimed an 11-9 win in eight innings in game one and picked up a 4-3 victory in the nightcap.
Game One – Emory & Henry 11, Eastern Mennonite 9 (eight innings)
The Royals started things off with a two-run first inning to get on the board. Danyele Smith and Aislinn Lucas had back-to-back run scoring hits for EMU.
Emory & Henry took the lead in the top of the second. With two runners on and one out, sophomore second baseman Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.) doubled to left field to clear the bases. Pudney came home thanks to junior shortstop Alyssa Clark's (Hiltons, Va.) single on the next at bat.
In the bottom of the third Angelia Miller homered to put Eastern Mennonite back up 4-3. The Wasps responded with two runs in the fourth on a triple by freshman centerfielder Leah Elswick (Raven, Va.) to lead, 5-4. The Royals got a run in fourth to tie things up 5-5.
E&H started the fifth inning off with a solo home run by junior first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) and made the score 7-5 on a single by Pudney to centerfield. EMU tied the contest in the bottom of the frame on Lauren Campbell's two-run single.
After scoreless sixth and seventh frames, the International Tiebreaker Rule was put into play. With freshman right fielder Danielle Loving (Elizabethton, Tenn.) placed on second, the Wasps began their rally. A fielding error by the second baseman saw Loving score and E&H got another run on a single by Elswick. With one on and two outs, freshman third baseman Caley Hodge (Elizabethton, Tenn.) hit a two-run shot to give the Wasps the 11-7 advantage.
Eastern Mennonite got a pair of runs to close the gap to 11-9 with one out, but Emory & Henry's defense held strong for the victory.
Elswick and Hodge both went three-for-five while Elswick had three RBI and Hodge drove in two. Pudney plated three of her own on two-for-three batting. Senior Katie Grimm (Staunton, Va.) earned the win in relief, pitching three innings for the Wasps while senior Brandy Bryant (Salem, Va.) returned for the final two outs after pitching the first 4.1 innings, earning the save.
Smith had three hits and two runs while Jordan Aylor went two-for-four with two RBI for the Royals. Cara Neikirk took the loss, allowing four unearned runs in the eighth inning.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 4, Eastern Mennonite 3
EMU started off with a run in the bottom of the second on Vivian Maddox's single through the right side. Emory & Henry took the lead in the third with two runs. Clark scored on a throwing error by the third baseman while Doss had a double to centerfield to give the Wasps their other run and a 2-1 advantage.
The Royals went ahead, 3-2, in the fifth on a one-out sacrifice fly by Mariah Foltz and a solo home run by Smith on the next at bat.
Emory & Henry got single runs in the sixth and seventh to earn the win. With freshman Jordan Whitcomb (Rocky Mount, Va.) pinch running, an infield single by Pudey gave the Wasps a run in the sixth. E&H brought the winning run around on a double to centerfield by Doss, driving in Hodge who doubled one batter earlier. A three-up, three-down inning in the bottom of the seventh sealed the win for the Wasps, 4-3.
Doss went two-for-four with two RBI while junior left fielder Hannah Bays (Abingdon, Va.) also had two hits. Senior Roxanne Hillman (Clintwood, Va.) earned the complete-game victory, scattering three runs and eight hits with two strikeouts.
Maddox went three-for-four with a RBI and a run for the Royals while Lauren Seale had two hits and a run. Seale also took the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits despite striking out seven.
Emory & Henry will be back in action on Sunday afternoon when it faces off against Bridgewater College in an ODAC doubleheader. First pitch between the Wasps and Eagles is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15