ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (2-6) picked up a non-conference split at North Carolina Wesleyan College (7-3) Monday afternoon. The Battling Bishops won game one, 7-1, while the Wasps were victorious in the nightcap, 15-6, to salvage the split.
Game One – North Carolina Wesleyan 7, Emory & Henry 1
NCWC's Carla Matthews opened the bottom of the first frame with a leadoff home run to left field. The Battling Bishops added to their lead in the second after Ashley Tharrington reached on an error and was able to score from second on an error on the next at bat. The home team made it 3-0 in the third inning on a two-out RBI single by Paige Pritchett.
Emory & Henry got on the board in the top of the sixth. Senior shortstop Jenae Morrissey (Utica, N.Y.) took a two-out offering and fired it over the left field wall for her second home run of the year to make the score 3-1.
The Bishops added four runs in the bottom half of the frame to put the contest out of reach thanks to five hits and an error by the Wasps. A single to right centerfield by Meredith Mills plated two runners, highlighting the inning.
Leanna Fann got the win for N.C. Wesleyan, retiring a stretch of 15 straight batters. She allowed just four hits on seven innings of work and struck out seven. Emory & Henry sophomore Jennifer True (Utica, N.Y.) fell to 1-4 with the loss, but struck out seven batters of her own.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 15, North Carolina Wesleyan 6 (five innings)
E&H got its first run in the top of the second inning after freshman right fielder Bethany Anderson (Dublin, Va.) was hit by a pitch and was able to get home after a wild pitch and throwing error by the third baseman.
NCWC equalized the score in the third. After Jessica Hodges walked, Mills singled to right centerfield two batters later to knot the contest, 1-1.
In the top of the fourth, Emory & Henry exploded for six runs. Senior left fielder Nicole Holdaway (Blacksburg, Va.) hit a two-run single to left center and junior catcher Ashley Ebersole (Maurertown, Va.) cleared the bases on a double two batters later. A sacrifice fly by True made the score 7-1.
The Battling Bishops wouldn't be undone. They responded with five runs in the bottom half of the fourth including a grand slam by Mills to close the gap to 7-6.
Emory & Henry went for eight runs in the top of the fifth to push the lead to 15-6. Junior designated player Veronica Blankenship (Roanoke, Va.) had a pair of two-RBI base hits in the frame while sophomore centerfielder Cortney Halsey (Independence, Va.) got her first hit of the season on a two-run homer to left field. The Wasp defense would force a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth and took the nightcap via the Eight-Run Advantage rule.
Freshman Katie Grimm (Staunton, Va.) got her first win of the season, going the distance for E&H while Kelsi Bailey suffered the loss for the Bishops.
Emory & Henry will continue its road trip on Tuesday when it visits Salem College. The Wasps and Spirits will play a doubleheader slated to start at 4:00 p.m.
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