EMORY, Va. – The second-seeded and No. 9 nationally-ranked Emory & Henry College Softball Team (26-6) continued its run in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday, splitting the first two games of a best-of-three series with #3 University of Lynchburg (28-16). The Hornets opened the day with a 6-4 victory while the Wasps responded to tie the series with a 7-3 win in game two.
The Basics
GAME ONE – #3 Lynchburg 6, #2 Emory & Henry 4
GAME TWO – #2 Emory & Henry 7, #3 Lynchburg 3
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Wasps Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (26-6, 13-3 ODAC); Lynchburg (28-16, 15-5 ODAC)
Game One – #3 Lynchburg 6, #2 Emory & Henry 4
Lynchburg opened up a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as Bri Hodges and Oliva Herman hit back-to-back doubles. E&H responded to cut the margin to 3-1 in the bottom of the second as freshman catcher Morgan Silvis (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) drove in senior first baseman Kendall Varner (Bassett, Va.) with a single to right-centerfield.
Three more runs by the Hornets in the fourth pushed their advantage to 6-1. Mya Lyburn plated a pair with a pinch-hit single to left field while Kayla Hugate added another run with a sacrifice fly.
The Wasps got a run back in the fifth on a single to centerfield by senior third baseman Allyson Steadman (Kingsport, Tenn.) and made it a 6-4 contest in the sixth as two runs scored when senior designated player Alex Braun (Lexington, S.C.) reached on an error by the first baseman.
Emory & Henry was unable to produce any offense in the bottom of the seventh as the rally came up short and Lynchburg took the victory 6-4.
Angela Sperandeo earned the win for the Hornets, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks in five innings of work. Emily Charlton picked up the save, allowing two unearned runs in the final two frames with three strikeouts. E&H senior Cameron Derr (Denver, N.C.) suffered the loss, permitting six runs on seven hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
Game Two – #2 Emory & Henry 7, #3 Lynchburg 3
E&H jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Braun drilled a three-run shot to centerfield and senior designated plater Hannah Morrison (Lebanon, Va.) plated Steadman on a dropped fly ball by the centerfielder.
Lynchburg responded in the second on a solo home run down the left-field line by Oliva Herman. Following three scoreless innings, the Hornets plated a pair in the sixth to close the gap to 4-3. Caroline Joy drove in Kayla Hugate with a pinch-hit double while Lyburn got an RBI on a sacrifice fly to left.
In the bottom of the frame, the Wasps scored three to put the contest out of reach. Junior centerfielder Anna Thomas (Climax, N.C.) tagged a two-run homer down the right-field line and Varner added another run with a solo shot to left-center for the final 7-3 margin.
Braun grabbed the win for Emory & Henry as she gave up two earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Michelle Lehan was chased from the circle after just one-third of an inning, allowing three runs on one hit with two walks as she took the loss.
Up Next
#2 Emory & Henry will host #3 University of Lynchburg in the deciding game of their ODAC Tournament Semifinal series on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. The winner of game three will advance to face #1 Virginia Wesleyan University in the league championship series.
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