EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (8-8) hammered out nine home runs as it picked up a pair of run-rule wins over Salem College (5-15) Wednesday afternoon in its home opener. The Wasps won by scores of 14-5 and 11-3.
Game One - Emory & Henry 14, Salem 5 (six innings)
The Wasps got on the board in the bottom of the first as senior catcher Ashley Ebersole (Maurertown, Va.) hit her league-leading eighth home run of the season to make the score 1-0.
E&H added three runs in the second as senior designated player Veronica Blankenship (Roanoke, Va.) blasted a three-run shot to left field. Emory & Henry made it 7-0 in the third scoring three runs. Sophomore shortstop Bethany Anderson (Dublin, Va.) hit a solo home run to start things off while junior left fielder Sylvia Robbins (Smithfield, Va.) and Blankenship each had RBI base hits in the frame.
Salem made the score 7-2 in the top of the fourth as Lexi Perez drove in two runs on a two-out single to centerfield.
In the bottom of the frame freshman first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) hit a one-out solo home run to left centerfield to extend the lead to 8-2.
The two teams traded runs in the fifth with the Spirits plating their third run of the contest on a fielding error by the shortstop. The Wasps got their run as Blankenship scored junior second baseman Martha Fluharty (Halifax, N.C.) when she doubled to centerfield to make the score 11-3.
In the top of the sixth, Salem got two runs, closing the gap to 11-5. Kristi Morton doubled down the left field line to start things off and Amber Bass cleared the bases with a home run in the next at bat.
Emory & Henry got five runs in the bottom of the sixth to satisfy the eight-run advantage rule. Doss got the first run as she scored on a wild pitch and Fluharty then singled up the middle to plate another two runs. Robbins knocked the fifth home run of the game, a walk-off two-run shot to left field, to make the score 14-5 and win the contest.
The Wasps pounded out 14 hits in the contest led by Blankenship as she went three-for-four with five RBI. Doss, Fluharty and Robbins each had two hits in the game. Sophomore Brandy Bryant (Salem, Va.) picked up the win as she scattered four hits over four innings of work, striking out two.
Perez led Salem with two hits and two RBI while Morton and Kayla Kennedy each went two-for-three in the game. Allie Watkins suffered the loss in the contest.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 11, Salem 3 (five innings)
Emory & Henry completed the sweep as it got another four home runs. The Wasps got things started with a seven-run first inning highlighted by a grand slam by freshman third baseman Hannah Bays (Abingdon, Va.).
In the top of the second, Salem got two runs to make the score 7-2. Bass had a RBI single and Perez plated a run as she grounded out to second base.
The Wasps made it 10-2 in the third as Blankenship got her second round-tripper of the day and junior centerfielder Cortney Halsey (Independence, Va.) homered to left centerfield for two runs.
Salem scored one in the top of the fourth to close the gap to seven (10-3) on a single by Perez. With the run, Emory & Henry needed to score again to keep the eight-run advantage rule in play.
E&H completed the game in the bottom of the fifth as Halsey hit her second home run of the game, this one a solo shot to straight centerfield. The score gave the Wasps a pair of walk-off run-rule wins on the day.
Halsey was two-for-two with three runs scored and three RBI to lead E&H while senior right fielder Courtney Perkinson (Chesapeake, Va.) and Fluharty went two-for-three on the game. Freshman Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) picked up her first career win in the circle as she allowed two runs on two hits in three innings of work with two strikeouts. Sophomore Katie Grimm (Staunton, Va.) pitched two solid innings in relief.
Salem only managed four hits in the contest and was led by Perez with a pair of RBI. Watkins took the loss in the second game as well.
Emory & Henry will travel to Ashland, Va. on Saturday to open Old Dominion Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader against Randolph-Macon College. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
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