MINNEOLA, Fla. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (12-4) went 1-1 on the day Tuesday at Space Coast Spring Training. The Wasps traveled inland to Minneola, Florida to take on a pair of NCAA Division III teams. E&H defeated Framingham State University (3-3) by a 10-2 score in six innings to start the day before falling 15-5 to Washington University in St. Louis (3-4).
The Basics
GAME ONE – Emory & Henry 10, Framingham State 2 (six innings)
GAME TWO – Washington (Mo.) 15, Emory & Henry 5
LOCATION – Minneola, Florida – Minneola Athletic Complex
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (12-4, 0-0 ODAC); Framingham State (3-3, 0-0 MASCAC); Washington (Mo.) (3-4, 0-0 UAA)
Game One
- Emory & Henry jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a bases-clearing double by freshman first baseman Alex Thomas (Orlando, Fla.).
- The Rams made the score 4-1 after the second but the bottom of the third saw the Wasps add three more runs for a 7-1 advantage. Senior second baseman Danielle Loving (Elizabethton, Tenn.) hit a two-run homer in the frame.
- Two more runs by Emory & Henry in the fifth pushed the score to 9-1 as Thomas added another RBI single.
- With the Eight-Run Advantage rule in play in the top of the fifth, FSU found itself down to its final out but pushed a run across to keep the game going, 9-2.
- The Wasps ended the game in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI single by junior catcher Bailey Williams (Wilmington, N.C.).
- Freshman Tiffany Cole (Wise, Va.) picked up the complete-game win, allowing two unearned runs on six hits with five strikeouts.
- FSU's Jessica Peterson had eight runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts in just 3.2 innings of work despite the loss.
Game Two
- WashU opened the game with a pair of runs in the top of the first and added another in the second to make the score 3-0.
- Emory & Henry answered in the third with two runs, highlighted by a home run to left centerfield by junior centerfielder Leah Elswick (Honaker, Va.) to make the score 3-2.
- In the fifth, the Wasps took a 4-3 lead on a base hit by freshman shortstop Courtney Herron (Roanoke, Va.) and an error after senior third baseman Ragan Halsey (Hillsville, Va.) reached on a fielder's choice.
- The Bears put up four runs in the sixth to push the margin to 7-4 with a two-run double by Hannah Merhle leading the way.
- E&H added a single run in the bottom of the sixth as senior second baseman Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.) tagged a shot over the centerfield fence.
- WashU scored eight runs on 10 hits in the top of the seventh, including a pair of two-run singles by Taylor Arends and Merhle to make the final score 15-5.
- Maggie Clapp earned the win in relief, as she pitched the final five innings and allowed three runs on five hits with two strikeouts.
- Junior Emily Kendrick (Honaker, Va.) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs on 13 hits with three strikeouts.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
- Junior Caley Hodge (Elizabethton, Tenn.) went five-for-six on the day with three runs scored while Thomas had three hits, two runs and four RBI.
- Elswick finished the day with three hits, and two runs while Loving added three runs on two hits with two RBI.
- Sophomore right fielder Rachel Smoot (Riner, Va.) tacked on two hits, including a double, and scored a run while Halsey had a pair of base knocks and a RBI.
Up Next
- Emory & Henry will return to the Chain of Lakes Park in Titusville, Florida on Wednesday evening for a doubleheader against St. Thomas (Fla.) University.
- The games are slated to begin at 5:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.
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