EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Softball Team (29-17, 10-10 SAC) picked up a big South Atlantic Conference doubleheader sweep of Carson-Newman University (26-16, 13-9 SAC) Wednesday afternoon. The Wasps earned an extra-inning, walk-off 11-10 victory in game one, before walking off the Eagles once more by a 5-4 margin in game two.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Emory & Henry 11, Carson-Newman 10 (10 Innings)
GAME TWO – Emory & Henry 5, Carson-Newman 4
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Wasps Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (29-17, 10-10 SAC); Carson-Newman (26-16, 13-9 SAC)
Game One – Emory & Henry 11, Carson-Newman 10 (10 Innings)
Emory & Henry jumped on the visitors early as they tallied a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Senior outfielder Danielle King (Spencer, Va.) launched a solo home run, her ninth of the season, to put E&H up 1-0. Senior first baseman Lydia Taylor (Salem, Va.) drew a walk, advanced to third on a single from sophomore third baseman Tristyn Tofano (Roanoke, Va.) and scored on junior second baseman Abigail Street's (Glade Spring, Va.) RBI single to push the Wasps ahead 2-0 through one inning of play.
Carson-Newman responded in the top of the second on a two-RBI single off the bat of Hayden Dye to tie things up at 2-2. After a scoreless third, the home team struck again with a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth. Freshman catcher Hannah Booth (Longwood, Fla.) singled and freshman designated player Liberty Johnson (Arvonia, Va.) followed two batters later with a two-run home run to put E&H back on top 4-2. The Eagles cut the deficit to just one in the top of the fifth with a run on a pair of hits, but Emory & Henry answered back in the bottom of the inning. Tofano walked, Street was hit by a pitch and Booth blasted a three-run bomb over the wall in left-center field to increase the Wasps' lead out to 7-3.
The Eagles would not go quietly as they slowly worked their way back into the game with a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh to send the game into extra innings. The two teams traded one-run innings in both the eighth and ninth, with Carson-Newman scoring one more in the 10th for the narrow 10-9 lead with Emory & Henry down to its final three outs. The Wasps wasted no time as Booth roped an RBI double to right-center to plate Street and senior shortstop Rachel Hill (Stanardsville, Va.) delivered the decisive blow with a walk-off RBI double down the line in left to score Booth and give the Wasps the 11-10 victory.
Junior pitcher Malorie Reeves (Galax, Va.) earned the winning decision in the circle as she scattered six runs, three earned, on eight hits while fanning eight Carson-Newman batters in 4.2 innings of work. Mariyn Waterman took the loss for the Eagles after surrendering four runs, one earned, on three hits over three innings. Booth paced the E&H offense with four RBIs on three hits while Johnson drove in a pair and King, Tofano, Street, Hill and sophomore outfielder Karsen Simpson (Salisbury, N.C.) each drove in a run.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 5, Carson-Newman 4
The Wasps were first on the board once again in the nightcap of the doubleheader as they tallied three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Hill got the two-out rally started with a double to right, then advanced to third on a single from Johnson. Simpson delivered an RBI single to plate the first run of the game. Senior outfielder Mackenzie Williams (St. Augustine, Fla.) singled to load the bases and King brought home a pair of runners with a double to center field to put E&H up 3-0.
The Eagles were held scoreless until the top of the fifth when they pushed across their first run of the game on a solo homer by Macauley Bailey. Taylor had an answer in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run of her own to increase her program-leading career total to 47 and increase the margin back out to three runs at 4-1. Carson-Newman rallied with two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh to knot the score at 4-4 heading into the home half of the final inning of play. Back-to-back singles from King and Taylor set the stage for fifth-year outfielder Katelyn Siekerka (El Cajon, Calif.), who came up clutch with a sacrifice fly to score King and give the Wasps their second walk-off victory of the afternoon.
Reeves picked up her second win of the day in the circle after allowing just four runs on 11 hits and seven strikeouts as she went the distance. Lorelei Spradling was saddled with the loss as she allowed five runs on 12 hits in 6.2 innings. King drove in a pair of runs on two hits while Taylor added an RBI. Williams had a team-high three base knocks in the win.
Up Next
Emory & Henry wraps up its 2025 home schedule on Saturday, April 12 when the Wasps host Tusculum University for Senior Day. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., with Senior Day honors beginning roughly 30 minutes before the game.
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