BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (18-8, 4-6 ODAC) picked up its first ODAC doubleheader sweep of the year as it blanked Bridgewater College (14-9, 5-6 ODAC) twice on Sunday afternoon, 4-0 and 7-0.
It was the first time since the 2005 that the Wasps defeated Bridgewater and the first time since 2011 that E&H earned a shutout in ODAC competition.
Game One – Emory & Henry 4, Bridgewater 0
E&H got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. After freshman shortstop Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.) doubled to right centerfield to start things off, senior left fielder Cortney Halsey (Independence, Va.) hit a double to drive in the first run of the game. After a groundout put Halsey on third, freshman catcher Jordan Chrisley (Dublin, Va.) drove her home when she reached on an error by the third baseman.
The Wasps made it 3-0 in the fourth on sophomore right fielder Hannah Bays' (Abingdon, Va.) single, driving in freshman third baseman Ragan Halsey (Hillsville, Va.), who doubled to right field with two outs to get things going.
Emory & Henry added an insurance run in the sixth as sophomore first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) hit a solo shot to right field, making the score 4-0.
The Wasps' defense employed a bend-not-break mindset, forcing the Eagles to strand five runners in the final two innings of the game, preserving the win.
Pudney was two-for-three with a run scored while Doss and Cortney Hasley had a run, a hit and a RBI. Sophomore right-hander Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) scattered six hits over seven innings of work moving to 8-4 with the shutout.
Kasey Anderson had two hits as the Eagles left 11 runners on base. Brianna Cox suffered the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in four innings of work.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 7, Bridgewater 0
Emory & Henry picked up its first sweep of Bridgewater since 2003 and its first ODAC shutout sweep since 2007 with a 7-0 win in the nightcap. The Wasps got single runs in the first and second frames to take a 2-0 lead as Doss got the scoring started with a RBI single in the top of the first.
The Wasps made it 3-0 in the fourth on a RBI groundout by Cortney Halsey, plating sophomore Kaitlyn Pruitt (Abingdon, Va.), who pinch ran for Bays.
In the sixth, Emory & Henry blew the game open with four runs. Pudney had a two-RBI double while Cortney Halsey also notched a run-scoring double to highlight the frame.
Doss was three-for-four in the game with a RBI and a run scored. Pudney and Cortney Halsey eache had two RBI while Bays picked up a pair of hits. Junior Brandy Bryant (Salem, Va.) picked up the complete-game win, scattering six hits and three strikeouts to move to 6-4 on the year.
Samantha Fridley and Lauren Jenkins had two hits each in the game, but the Eagles stranded another eight runners in the shutout. Amanda Lutz took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work.
Emory & Henry will return to action next Saturday when it travels to Shenandoah for an ODAC doubleheader with the Hornets. First pitch is set for noon.
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