EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (13-10) played its first home games in over three weeks on Wednesday, splitting with King (Tenn.) university (16-8). The Wasps earned a 3-2 win in game one and fell to the Tornado, 6-5, in game two as their rally fell short.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Emory & Henry 3, King (Tenn.) 2
GAME TWO – King (Tenn.) 6, Emory & Henry 5
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Wasps Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (13-10); King (Tenn.) (16-8, 0-0 Carolinas)
Game One – Emory & Henry 3, King (Tenn.) 2
King got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run home run by Carly Turner. The Wasps responded in the bottom of the frame as senior second baseman Hailey Mince (Trinity, N.C.) scored from second when freshman designated player Reece Chasteen (Lake City, Fla.) reached on an error.
In the third, E&H tied the contest at two runs apiece on a single to right-center by Chasteen to plate Mince again. The Wasps got the go-ahead run in the fourth as fifth-year first baseman Kendall Varner (Bassett, Va.) tagged a solo home run down the left-field line, just inside the fair pole, for what would end up as the final 4-3 score.
Sophomore Avery Adkins (Goodview, Va.) picked up the complete-game win, scattering one earned run on four hits with eight strikeouts. Marleigh Duncan suffered the loss in relief as she allowed one run on two hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Game Two – King (Tenn.) 6, Emory & Henry 5
The Wasps got out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a pair of RBI singles by Mince and Chasteen. King responded for a 3-2 advantage in the third, highlighted by a two-run double by Camryn Haag.
In the fourth, Tinsley Thompson scored from second base on a wild pitch and throwing error to make it 4-2 and the Tornado extended its lead to 6-2 through five on base knocks by Lilly Million and Logan Leonard.
Emory & Henry rallied in the bottom of the sixth with senior centerfielder Anna Thomas (Climax, N.C.) scoring on a groundout. Junior catcher Julia Street (Glade Spring, Va.) made it a one-run game (6-5) with a two-run double to left-center. The Wasps had a pair of runners in scoring position but were unable to capitalize any further.
In the seventh, King went down in order and the E&H appeared to be ready for a walk-off victory but the 6-5 margin would hold.
Nikole Counts picked up the victory for the Tornado, permitting five runs on eight hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Emory & Henry freshman Olivia Yates (Floyd, Va.) suffered the loss as she allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts in three innings.
Up Next
Emory & Henry remains at home on Saturday when it faces former Old Dominion Athletic Conference foe Randolph College at 1:00 p.m.
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