EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (23-11, 9-9 ODAC) solidified its spot in the field of the 2014 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament with a pair of league wins over Sweet Briar College (4-23, 0-18 ODAC) Friday afternoon at home. The Wasps claimed game one by a 15-1 score and won game two, 8-0, as both games were decided in five innings.
This marks the second time in three years that Emory & Henry has qualified for league postseason play.
Game One – Emory & Henry 15, Sweet Briar 1 (five innings)
Emory & Henry got out to a 4-0 lead after the bottom of the first inning. With one run already in, sophomore right fielder Hannah Bays (Abingdon, Va.) hit a three-run homer to left centerfield for her fourth round-tripper of the year.
The Wasps added a run in the second on a single through the right side by junior designated player Roxanne Hillman (Clintwood, Va.), plating freshman centerfielder Devynne Stiltner (Meadowview, Va.), who led off the inning with a bunt single.
In the bottom of the third, the Wasps sent 14 batters to the plate, unloading for 10 runs on nine hits with two Vixen errors. Senior left fielder Cortney Halsey (Independence, Va.) had a two-run triple to centerfield while sophomore first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) hit a two-run shot to left center. Freshman shortstop Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.) had a two-run homer down the left field line for her first collegiate four-bagger later in the inning.
Down to its final three outs, Sweet Briar avoided the shutout as Nene Jones hit a solo home run to centerfield, making the final score, 15-1.
Bays was three-for-three with four RBI and three runs scored while Hillman added three hits, two runs and a RBI. Cortney Halsey and Pudney both had two hits, two runs scored and two RBI. Junior right-hander Brandy Bryant (Salem, Va.) picked up the complete-game win in the circle, allowing just one run on three hits with six strikeouts.
Sweet Briar was paced by Jones' solo home run while Megan Thompson had the Vixens' other two hits. Thompson suffered the loss, allowing nine earned runs and 16 hits with four strikeouts.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 8, Sweet Briar 0 (five innings)
E&H started off with one run in the bottom of the first frame as freshman catcher Jordan Chrisley (Dublin, Va.) scored on a wild pitch. The Wasps made it 5-0 with four runs in the second. Hillman drove in two with a single down the left field line while Chrisley had a RBI base hit as well.
The Wasps made it 8-0 with three runs in the fourth. Chrisley, Hillman and freshman third baseman Ragan Halsey (Hillsville, Va.) each registered RBI base knocks in the inning.
Hillman went three-for-three with three RBI and run scored while Chrisley had three hits, three runs and two RBI. Stiltner finished the game two-for-two with two runs scored. Sophomore Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) earned the one-hit shutout with two strikeouts as only four SBC players reached base safely in the game.
Kayla Dooms accounted for the Vixens' only hit and also drew a walk in her other plate appearance. Molly Langford took the loss in the circle, allowing eight runs on 10 hits and two walks in four innings pitched.
Emory & Henry will return to the diamond on Saturday afternoon when it travels to Winston-Salem, N.C., for a non-conference doubleheader with the Spirits of Salem College. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
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