EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (18-23) closed out the 2024 season with a split against border rival King (Tenn.) University (27-23) on Sunday. The Tornado won game one by a 14-10 score while the Wasps bounced back to claim the final contest, 12-4, in six innings.
The twin-billing also served as Senior Day for the Wasps, who honored Kenzie Ingo (Wytheville, Va.), Amy Meister (Mooresville, N.C.), Desi Norris (Sims, N.C.) and Morgan Silvis (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) prior to the start of game one.
The Basics
GAME ONE – King (Tenn.) 14, Emory & Henry 10
GAME TWO – Emory & Henry 12, King (Tenn.) 4 (six innings)
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Wasps Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (18-23, 8-16 SAC); King (Tenn.) (27-23, 12-8 Carolinas)
Game One – King 14, Emory & Henry 10
King opened the scoring in the top of the first as Tori Ryan drove in Haylee Dye with a groundout. The Wasps responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Junior infielder Lydia Taylor (Salem, Va.) plated the first run with a single up the middle while Norris had a sacrifice fly and Meister tacked on two more with a base knock.
The Tornado posted four in the second to go ahead 5-4 with Dye and Tinsley Thompson each hitting home runs. King pushed the lead to 6-4 midway through the third on a solo homer by Alyssa Suits.
In the bottom of the third, Emory & Henry tied the contest at 6-6 on a two-run home run over the centerfield wall by Norris.
King scored seven runs in the fourth frame thanks to six hits and three walks to go up, 13-6. E&H got one back in the bottom of the sixth as junior right fielder Danielle King (Spencer, Va.) drove in Meister with a hit to right.
The Tornado answered in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly from Aviah Bunsic. The Wasps scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh but would get no closer than the 14-10 final score.
Hannah Fritts earned the win, allowing seven runs on nine hits with three walks in five innings. E&H sophomore Ashlee Foster (King William, Va.) suffered the loss in relief, permitting six runs on six hits and two walks in 1.1 innings of work.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 12, King 4 (six innings)
In the first, King scored two on a base hit by Suits and a ground ball by Rachel Jardim. E&H responded in the bottom of the frame as King tagged a solo home run to centerfield.
In the second, the Wasps scored four to put them up 5-2. Norris had a RBI base hit and Ingo tagged a three-run shot to left-center.
King got one back in the third to close the gap to 5-3 but the Wasps got another round-tripper in their half, a three-run homer by Meister for an 8-3 advantage.
The Tornado added another in the fourth but Meister provided another spark for Emory & Henry in the fifth, this time a single down the left field line for a 9-4 score.
In the sixth, the Wasps pushed across the three runs needed to end the game at 12-4. Meister and Ingo got the final two RBI as they drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to seal the contest.
Freshman Destiny Good (Staunton, Va.) earned the win, scattering four runs on eight hits with three walk and two strikeouts. Olesia Walch took the loss for the Tornado, allowing eight runs on seven hits in three innings.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will now await the announcement of the All-South Atlantic Conference Teams which will come in conjunction with the start of the SAC Tournament later this week.
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