EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (3-7) split a pair of games with visiting Bluefield College (5-7) Saturday afternoon at Wasps Field. E&H claimed game one by an 8-2 score while Bluefield took the win in game two, 6-5.
Game One – Emory & Henry 8, Bluefield 2
After allowing a run in the top of the first, Emory & Henry got a trio of runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 3-1. Freshman right fielder Madison McClanahan (Abingdon, Va.) gave the Wasps the lead with a single swing of her bat for a three-run homer.
The Lady Rams closed the gap to 3-2 in the second but Emory & Henry answered with a run of its own to push the lead back to two. In the bottom of the third, the Wasps added two runs to go up 6-2 and capped the scoring in the fourth with some insurance for an 8-2 advantage.
Sophomore designated player Caley Hodge (Elizabethton, Tenn.) had a RBI double to highlight the fourth.
Junior second baseman Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.) went two-for-four with two runs scored while senior first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) added two hits, a run and a RBI. Senior Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) earned the win in the circle, scattering two runs on six hits over the complete game with four strikeouts.
Morgan Sawyers had two hits and a RBI in the contest while Katie Pennington added two walks, a hit, a run and a RBI. Baily Garin suffered the loss in the circle, allowing all eight runs on 10 hits with just one strikeout.
Game Two – Bluefield 6, Emory & Henry 5
E&H got out to a 1-0 lead after the second thanks to a bunt single by sophomore left fielder Jordan Whitcomb (Rocky Mount, Va.) which caught the defense out of position for an error, scoring Doss.
The Wasps added four runs in the third on five hits. A single up the middle by senior shortstop Alyssa Clark (Hiltons, Va.) was the highlight, driving in two runs as Hodge and senior right fielder Hannah Bays (Abingdon, Va.) also had RBI base hits.
In the top of the sixth, Bluefield got on the board with a one-out grand slam by Garin, closing the gap to 5-4. The Lady Rams went ahead, 6-5, in the seventh on a pair of unearned runs but the Wasps were unable to answer in the bottom half of the frame.
Garin and Pennington each had two hits in the game with Garin's home run providing the spark to the Bluefield offense. Brienna Sparks struck out 11 on the day despite allowing five runs on nine hits.
Doss had two hits and scored twice while Pudney and Hodge added two hits and a run each. Senior Kaitlyn Pruitt (Abingdon, Va.) threw six innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Banner suffered the loss in relief despite not allowing an earned run.
Emory & Henry will travel to North Myrtle Beach, S.C. next week for the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Wasps will play two games on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The slate begins on Monday at 11:30 a.m., with a contest against Lycoming College at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex. Emory & Henry will close day one at North Myrtle Beach Central Park against Medaille College at 3:30 p.m.
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