EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Softball Team (1-4) picked its first win of the Jake Cockerham era on Saturday afternoon as it bounced back to earn a split against University of Mount Olive (4-4). The Trojans won game one by a 5-2 score while the Wasps claimed the nightcap, 4-2.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Mount Olive 5, Emory & Henry 2
GAME TWO – Emory & Henry 4, Mount Olive 2
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Wasps Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-4, 0-0 SAC); Mount Olive (4-4, 0-0 Carolinas)
Game One – Mount Olive 5, Emory & Henry 2
The Trojans jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second. With two outs and the bases loaded, Alyssa Smothers cleared the bases with a double to right-center. Smothers came around to score on the next at bat thanks to Courtlynn Cooney's single up the middle.
Mount Olive made it 5-0 midway through the third as Bri Verme stole home on a first-and-third play. In the bottom of the fourth, E&H got on the board on a single to centerfield by freshman second baseman Emma Anderson (King William, Va.) which drove in freshman shortstop Rachel Hill (Stanardville, Va.).
After scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth, the Wasps made the final score 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore first baseman Lydia Taylor (Salem. Va.) drilled a solo home run over the left-centerfield fence for her first tally of the year.
Hannah Killough earned the complete-game win for UMO, scattering two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks. E&H junior Avery Adkins (Goodview, Va.) suffered the loss, despite allowing just one earned run on six hits, striking out eight while walking none.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 4, Mount Olive 2
E&H struck in the bottom of the first when freshman left fielder Kylie Cundiff (Roanoke, Va.) scored on a passed ball. UMO tied things up, 1-1, in the top of the third on a solo home run over the centerfield fence by Adrianna Efird.
In the bottom of the third, the Wasps scored a pair to retake the lead, 3-1. Freshman second baseman Abigail Street (Glade Spring, Va.) drove in Cundiff with a single through the left side and Emory & Henry scored on the next at bat as Hill hit a sacrifice fly to center.
The Wasps pushed the margin to 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Cundiff singled up the middle to drive in sophomore Grace Harper (Williamsburg, Va.) from second base.
Mount Olive threatened in the top of the seventh. Down to the final out with runners on the corners, Smothers hit a single up the middle, plating Olivia Reardon to make it a 4-2 game. E&H got the final out of the contest to grab the win.
Sophomore MaKayla Dowdy (Blacksburg, Va.) earned the victory in her first outing of the year, allowing just one run on five hits and a strikeout in 4.2 innings. Adkins returned to the circle to pick up the save, permitting one unearned run on two hits in the final 2.1 of the contest. Lauren King took the loss for the Trojans, as she allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in two-plus innings pitched.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will open South Atlantic Conference play with a doubleheader at No. 15 Lincoln Memorial University on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
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