SALEM, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (7-10, 1-1 ODAC) split its Old Dominion Athletic Conference opener with Roanoke College (9-7, 1-1 ODAC) Wednesday evening. The Wasps earned a 5-4 come-from-behind victory in game one while the Maroons claimed game two by a 7-2 score.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Emory & Henry 5, Roanoke 4
GAME TWO – Roanoke 7, Emory & Henry 2
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Wasps Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (7-10, 1-1 ODAC); Roanoke (9-7, 1-1 ODAC)
Game One – Emory & Henry 5, Roanoke 4
E&H got on the board in the top of the third frame as sophomore left fielder Nicole Cox (Franklinville, N.C.) drove in senior catcher Leanna Toler (Abingdon, Va.) with a triple to centerfield. The Maroons went ahead, 3-1, in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by Rachel Sirbaugh's single to left field.
In the sixth, Emory & Henry pushed four runs across to take a 5-3 lead. Junior first baseman Kendall Varner (Bassett, Va.) posted a RBI single to left field while junior shortstop Kyndall Hiatt (Ararat, Va.) and senior second baseman Lyndsay Boyd (Abingdon, Va.) also drove in runs. RC closed the gap to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth but would get no closer.
Wasp junior Cameron Derr (Cornelius, N.C.) earned the win, allowing one earned run on 12 hits with four strikeouts as the Maroons left 11 on base. RC's Jada Karnes suffered the loss, permitting three earned runs on eight hits and four strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.
Game Two – Roanoke 7, Emory & Henry 2
In the bottom of the first, Roanoke struck as Meri Bostic hit into a fielder's choice. The Wasps tied the contest at one in the second as Hiatt plated Varner with a single to centerfield.
The Maroons took a 5-1 lead with four runs in the second, highlighted by a two-run double to left by Rebecca Hensley. RC pushed the margin to 7-1 through four on Shanan Hester's two-run hit to center.
Emory & Henry added a run in the top of the fifth as Cox drove in Boyd with a single to centerfield, but would get no closer than 7-2.
Roanoke's Olivia Simmons earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits in 4.1 innings while E&H senior Tiffany Cole (Wise, Va.) took the loss with five runs on eight hits.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will travel to T-No. 17 Berry College on Saturday for a doubleheader against the Vikings. First pitch is set for noon.
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