EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (8-14, 1-1 ODAC) split a pair of games to open Old Dominion Athletic Conference play against Randolph College (12-8, 1-3 ODAC) Friday afternoon at home. The WildCats took game one of the doubleheader by an 8-5 score, while the Wasps won 13-11 in the nightcap.
Game One – Randolph 8, Emory & Henry 5
Emory & Henry took a 2-0 lead after the fourth scoring single runs in the first and fourth. Junior second baseman Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.) drove in a run with a double in the first while the Wasps' score in the fourth came on a solo home run by sophomore designated player Caley Hodge (Elizabethton, Tenn.).
Randolph's offense came alive in the sixth, as they scored five runs to go up 5-2. With the bases loaded, Jessica Nowack cleared the bases with a double down the right field line to get things started. Danielle Davis provided the WildCats' other two runs via a home run to left centerfield.
RC added three more runs in the seventh for an 8-2 lead as Nowack hit another three-run double, this time to left center. E&H responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the frame thanks to a three-run shot down the left field line by Pudney but would get no closer than the 8-5 score.
Nowack went three-for-four with six RBI and a run scored while Ki Jenkins had three hits and scored a pair of runs. Hannah Winfree earned the win in relief, pitching the final 2.1 innings.
Pudney paced the Wasps' offense with two hits, a run and four RBI. Hodge and sophomore centerfielder Leah Elswick (Raven, Va.) each had a run on two hits. Senior Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) allowed five runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings of work.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 13, Randolph 11
Randolph started off with a 2-0 lead in the second thanks to a two-run home run by Rebecca Montgomery. The Wasps responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame to lead, 4-2, but the WildCats tied things up at four-all on a single by Jordyn Knapp.
Emory & Henry re-took the lead in the bottom of the third and scored four runs in the fourth to go up 9-4. A single to right field by senior right fielder Hannah Bays (Abingdon, Va.) drove in a pair to highlight the fourth.
The two teams added a run each in the fifth before Randolph exploded for six runs in the top of the sixth. Dianne Davis hit a two-run double and Montgomery got her second round-tripper of the game, this time a three-run shot to take an 11-10 advantage.
Emory & Henry answered in the bottom half of the frame with three runs to get to the 13-11 final margin and held on in the seventh to seal the victory. A bunt single by freshman catcher Amanda Whitlow (Floyd, Va.) put the Wasps ahead for good.
Elswick earned the win in relief, pitching the final two innings of the game and also made good use of her bat, going three-for-three with three runs and a RBI. Whitlow was two-for-two with two RBI and a run while Bays drove in three in the game. Seniors first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) and shortstop Alyssa Clark (Hiltons, Va.) each had a pair of base knocks.
Montgomery provided the pop for Randolph, going three-for-four with three runs and five RBI while Hunter Glave had two hits and three runs. Knapp had two hits and two RBI as well. Lindsey Chaney suffered the loss, pitching the final 2.2 innings, and allowing four runs on five hits and three walks.
Emory & Henry will remain at home on Wednesday when it hosts Guilford College in an ODAC doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15