DEMOREST, Ga. – The Piedmont College Softball Team (11-8) picked up a pair of non-conference wins over visiting Emory & Henry College (7-11) Wednesday afternoon at the Walker Athletic Complex. The Lions won by scores of 7-1 and 8-0, snapping a four-game winning streak for the Wasps.
Game One – Piedmont 7, Emory & Henry 1
Emory & Henry got on the board in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by junior second baseman Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.). Pudney drove in sophomore left fielder Danielle Loving (Elizabethton, Tenn.), who reached base on a single to left field a batter earlier and got to third thanks to a two-base error.
In the bottom of the second, the Lions began their stretch of seven unanswered runs for the win. Haley McCurry got things started in the second with a RBI single to left but the big burst of offense came in the fourth thanks to a three-run double by Allison Vaughn.
Piedmont had 13 hits in the game and scored seven runs despite stranding 10. Four different players had two hits led by Vaughn's two-for-four outing with three RBI and a run scored. Sarah Walker picked up the complete-game win in the circle, allowing just one unearned run on three hits with two strikeouts.
Loving had a hit and a run for E&H while senior first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) and sophomore designated player Caley Hodge (Elizabethton, Tenn.) each added a hit. Senior Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) allowed six runs on 11 hits in four innings of work.
Game Two – Piedmont 8, Emory & Henry 0 (five innings)
Emory & Henry was unable to put a run on the board for just the second time this season as Piedmont pushed eight across to complete the series sweep.
A two-run double by Josie Coker in the bottom of the third made the score 3-0 in favor of the Lions, who would add another run in that frame. PC ended the game in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Allyson Gentry cleared the bases with a triple to put Piedmont over the top 8-0.
Melissa Eckman allowed just two hits in earning the shutout win, striking out four. Abby Smith scored three times on two hits while Coker had two hits a run and two RBI, adding to Gentry's three-run triple.
Freshmen Madison McClahanan (Abingdon, Va.) and Holly Britt (Floyd, Va.) had the only hits for Emory & Henry. Senior Kaitlyn Pruitt (Abingdon, Va.) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits despite striking out two.
Emory & Henry will return home on Saturday when it enters Old Dominion Athletic Conference play against Randolph College. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15