EMORY, Va. – The Roanoke College Softball Team (22-8, 10-4 ODAC) picked up a pair of wins in Old Dominion Athletic Conference play over Emory & Henry College (11-23, 2-14 ODAC) Thursday afternoon. The Maroons won game one 4-1 and claimed a 9-1 victory in the nightcap.
The contests also served as the Wasps' Light It Up Blue games, as Emory & Henry's players wore special blue uniforms to help raise awareness about autism. Leading up to today and during the contests, the E&H ladies raised over $250 that will be donated to Autism Speaks, an organization that helps increase awareness about autism and funds research for treatments.
Game One – Roanoke 4, Emory & Henry 1
Emory & Henry got on the board in the bottom of the second on a bunt single by sophomore centerfielder Cortney Halsey (Independence, Va.) that drove in junior left fielder Veronica Blankenship (Roanoke, Va.).
The Maroons took the lead in the top of the third on a two-run homer to left field by Lenoa Rainey with one out. Roanoke would add runs in the sixth and seventh innings to hold off E&H for the win.
Kelly Higbie earned the complete-game win for Roanoke, allowing just four hits while striking out seven. E&H freshman Brandy Bryant (Salem, Va.) suffered the loss despite striking out eight batters.
Game Two – Roanoke 9, Emory & Henry 1 (five innings)
The Maroons jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back, leading by a 9-0 score after three frames. A two-run blast to right field by Felice Lowery highlighted the contest for Roanoke, who completed the series sweep of E&H, winning via the Eight-Run Advantage rule.
In the bottom of the fifth, Emory & Henry scored a run to prevent the shutout. With two runners on base and one out, junior catcher Ashley Ebersole (Maurertown, Va.) doubled to right centerfield to score junior Courtney Perkinson (Chesapeake, Va.) from second base. The Wasps nearly pushed across a second run a batter later, but the sacrifice fly was broken up by the right fielder's throw to home to make the final out of the game.
Stephanie Clark earned the complete game win for Roanoke, scattering six hits over five innings of work. Bryant suffered the loss for E&H, while freshman Katie Grimm (Staunton, Va.) pitched much of the contest in relief.
At the plate, the Maroons were paced by Lowery, as she went four-for-six with three RBI and a home run. Rainey was four-for-eight with four runs scored and two RBI, while Alea Bier had three hits, two runs and two RBI as well for Roanoke.
Emory & Henry was led offensively by Ebersole, as she went two-for-five on the day with a RBI double. Sophomore third baseman Martha Fluharty (Halifax, N.C.) was also two-for-five on the afternoon.
The Wasps will conclude the 2012 regular season on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. when the Vixens of Sweet Briar College visit Emory. The contests have large implications as to which teams will qualify for the ODAC tournament.
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