EMORY, Va. – The Eastern Mennonite University Softball Team (17-7, 4-2 ODAC) picked up a doubleheader sweep in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action over Emory & Henry College (10-16, 3-3 ODAC) Saturday afternoon. The Royals took game one by an 8-6 score and won the final game of the series, 10-5.
The twin-billing also served as Emory & Henry's fifth annual Light It Up Blue Day in support of Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks is an advocacy organization that sponsors research and conducts awareness and outreach activities for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
Game One – Eastern Mennonite 8, Emory & Henry 6
The Royals started off with two runs in the top of the second inning. A home run by Angelia Miller highlighted the frame. EMU added another run in the fourth to go up 3-0 on a single by Carli Hill.
Emory & Henry tied things up at three in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run home run by senior right fielder Hannah Bays (Abingdon, Va.). The round-tripper was the first of the year for Bays and marks the 22nd of her career, tying the E&H record.
In the top of the sixth, Eastern Mennonite scored three runs to lead, 6-3. A two-run double by Jasmine Johnson was the highlight of the inning. The Wasps tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to get within one run, 6-5. A single by sophomore designated player Caley Hodge (Elizabethton, Tenn.) drove in a run to start things off and on the next at bat, Bays drew a bases-loaded walk for the other run.
Eastern Mennonite got two more runs in the seventh with a solo home run by Danyele Smith. The Wasps tacked on a final run for the 8-6 final score in the bottom of the seventh, but was unable to get enough offense going.
Hill drove in three on two hits while Aislinn Lucas scored twice on three hits. Sydney Reath added two hits and two runs. Janna Williams earned the win in relief while Lauren Seale picked up the save.
Emory & Henry was led by Hodge with three hits, a run and a RBI while freshman catcher Amanda Whitlow (Floyd, Va.) and sophomore third baseman Ragan Halsey (Hillsville, Va.) added three hits each. Bays drove in four on a hit, a walk and added a run.
Game Two – Eastern Mennonite 10, Emory & Henry 5
EMU got on the board with five runs in the top of the first. Danyele Smith drove in two runs with a double to get things started as the Royals notched four hits.
Emory & Henry scored a run in the bottom of the first on a single by Hodge, driving in sophomore centerfielder Leah Elswick (Raven, Va.), who drew a lead-off walk. Eastern Mennonite pushed its advantage to 6-1 after two.
The Wasps scored four runs in the bottom of the third thanks to three hits, a walk and an error to make the score 6-5. Two runs came home when Bays reached on an error by the third baseman to highlight the frame.
Eastern Mennonite got a pair of runs in the fourth on a home run by Smith and added single runs in the fifth and sixth frame for the final 10-5 score.
Six different EMU players had multi-hit games led by Smith who drove in four and scored twice. Mariah Foltz drove in a pair on two hits with two runs scored. Janna Williams notched the victory in relief while Reath earned the save, pitching the final 3.2 innings.
Hodge went three-for-three with a run and a RBI while junior Riley Pudney (Beech Mountain, N.C.) had a run, a hit and a RBI. Senior Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on four hits.
Emory & Henry will have a quick turnaround before its next doubleheader as it hosts Bridgewater College on Sunday afternoon. The ODAC doubleheader is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m., first pitch.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15