NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (9-1) had to fight off a furious seventh-inning rally by Ursuline College (5-3), but came away with a 4-3 victory to remain undefeated at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The win was the second straight over a NCAA Division II school for the Wasps.
Emory & Henry started the game off with three runs in the top of the first. Freshman catcher Jordan Chrisley (Pulaski, Va.) walked to lead off the game and after a sacrifice bunt and a base hit, found herself on third base. Senior second baseman Martha Fluharty (Halifax, N.C.) singled to left centerfield to get the Wasps on the board while freshman third baseman Ragan Halsey (Hillsville, Va.) and junior designated player Bethany Anderson (Pulaski, Va.) added RBI base hits in the inning for the 3-0 score.
The Arrows got two runners in scoring position in the second inning but the E&H defense came through to keep them off the board. Ursuline looked as if it was going to finally break onto the scoreboard in the fourth with one out and the bases loaded, but a huge double play by the Wasps ended the inning.
Emory & Henry made it 4-0 after the top of the sixth. With two outs, freshman centerfielder Devynne Stiltner (Meadowview, Va.) bunted for a base hit and got to second on a throwing error. Chrisley then tripled to left centerfield to drive in Stiltner.
Ursuline put together a furious rally in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and the bases loaded, the Wasps got another big out at home plate. Dagmar Smith got the Arrows on the board with a single to centerfield on the next at bat and Natalie Huggins plated a pair with a single through the left side.
Sophomore right hander Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) came on for the final out, earning the save, and the Wasps finished the job for the 4-3 win.
Emory & Henry had only eight hits in the game and stranded eight base runners, but executed when it counted. Fluharty was two-for-three with a run and a RBI while Chrisley walked twice, had a hit, a RBI and a run scored. Both Halsey and Anderson had RBI base hits in the game as well. Junior Brandy Bryant (Salem, Va.) picked up the win in the circle to go to 4-1, scattering seven hits over 6.2 innings with three unearned runs and a pair of strikeouts.
Ursuline was led offensively by Huggins, who went two-for-four with two RBI while Sam Herrman was two-for-two with a walk and a run scored. Dagmar Smith took the loss, allowing three runs on two hits in only one-third of an inning. Sarah Maxwell pitched 5.2 innings of relief, striking out five with four hits and one unearned run.
Emory & Henry will have two more games on Wednesday afternoon. The first contest will be at 1:30 p.m., against Greenville College and the second comes against Eureka College at 3:30 p.m.
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