Softball falls just short in shootout doubleheader at Emory & Henry

Emory, Va.. —- The Catawba College softball team (18-18, 6-6) dropped a pair of high-scoring, high-octane games against the Emory & Henry Wasps (17-14, 8-8) on Friday, in a thrilling pair of games that saw a total of 56 runs, 14 home runs, two grand slams from Savanna Balderston and two seventh-inning walk-offs at the Emory & Henry Softball Complex  

GAME ONE | Catawba 13, Emory & Henry 14 

TEAM STATISTICS 

- Emory & Henry out-hit Catawba 13-11  

- Five of the Wasps' hits were home runs, with Catawba's lineup hitting one 

- Both teams committed four errors 

- In the circle, Emory & Henry's pair of Kylie Cundiff (6.1 IP) and Olivia Yates (0.2 IP) struck out six batters and walked another six, while allowing seven earned runs. For Catawba, Riley Tucker (4.1 IP) and Kary Hales(1.2 IP) struck out a batter, walked 10, and allowed nine earned runs 

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS 

- Balderston and Tucker both recorded a pair of hits to lead the side, with Balderson bringing in four runs and also hitting Catawba's lone home run. Tucker would add three RBI of her own 

- Brianna Gallagher, Kinsley Caldwell, and Courtnee Carter each tallied an RBI as well 

- Hales and Gallagher both drew a pair of walks 

- Carter had Catawba's lone stolen base of the game  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

FIRST INNING 

- Catawba struck first, with Bri Herring leading off with a single to get aboard before Tucker sent a double down the right field line that allowed her to round the bases and score 

- Danielle King would answer for Emory & Henry, sending a solo homerun over the left-center wall as the two sides headed into the second inning tied at 1-1 

SECOND INNING 

- Emory & Henry would benefit from a series of errors to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second, first with Olivia Yates able to reach due to one as she led off.  

- Kendall Boggs would enter to pinch-run, and she would be able to turn a sacrifice bunt from Rachel Hill and another Catawba error into the lead for the home side  

 FOURTH INNING 

- Hill would again play a part for Emory & Henry, sending their second solo homerun of the game into center field for a 3-1 lead 

- After Karsen Simpson and Mackenzie Williams reached on a single and error, respectively, King would crush her second homerun of the game into left-center to put the Wasps up 6-1  

FIFTH INNING 

- Looking to respond, Catawba would be able to load the bases as Molly Strider reached on an error and both Carter and Balderston proceeded to send singles through the infield. Having already sent a run home earlier in the game, Tucker stepped up and delivered two more for Catawba to cut the lead to 6-3 

- Hales would replace Tucker on the mound for Catawba with one runner on, though the Wasps would get Katie Williams aboard as well before Simpson sent a homerun into left field to make it 9-3 

SIXTH INNING 

- Catawba wouldn't go away, however, with Gallagher, Callie Parker, and Caldwell able to load the bases with no outs. Carter would be able to send Gallagher home and advance Parker to third, reaching first herself on a fielder's choice 

- An error would allow Herring to reach soon after, with both Carter and Parker both able to score as well as Catawba again pulled to within three, 9-6 

- Emory & Henry again had a response; Yates would send a fourth home-run over the wall for the Wasps with two runners on, giving the home side a 12-6 lead heading into the final inning  

SEVENTH INNING 

- Once again, Catawba was able to load the bases quickly as Hales, Gallagher, and Taylor would all reach with one out. Caldwell would step up and send a single through center field, sending Hales home while a throwing error also allowed Gallagher to score 

- Alexis Monroe, entering to pinch-hit, would again load the bases as she walked. With the score now 12-8, Yates would relieve Kylie Cundiff in the circle for Emory & Henry 

- The first batter she'd face was Balderston, who chose then to crush a clutch grand-slam into left field and tie the game at 12-12 

- Herring, Grace Flynn, and Hales would load the bases once more for Catawba with two outs; a Gallagher walk gave the visiting side its first lead since the top of the first inning, 13-12. While Christina Brendlewould fly-out to center, Catawba's massive seven-run rally would put them three outs away 

- E&H would load the bases, and a wild pitch would allow Joy Back to tied the game at 13-13. Hill sent the game-winning single into right field for the final RBI of the game.  

- Hales (3-3) would take the loss for Catawba, with Yates (6-3) earning the win for Emory & Henry  

GAME TWO | Catawba 14, Emory & Henry 15  

TEAM STATISTICS 

- Emory & Henry would out-hit Catawba, 19-17. RBIs would favor Emory & Henry, 15-14 

- Catawba's lineup boasted five home runs to three from Emory & Henry 

- Catawba would commit the only two errors of the game 

- Both teams featured three pitchers. For Emory & Henry, MaKayla Dowdy (3.0 IP), Bailey Payne (2.0 IP), and Abigail Street (2.0 IP) combined for six strikeouts and seven walks while allowing 14 runs. 

- For Catawba, Herring (4.2 IP), Tucker (0.2 IP), and Hales (0.2 IP) would combine for two strikeouts, five walks, and 14 earned runs as well 

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS 

- Brendle, getting the start at catcher, would prove phenomenal at the plate as she went 5-for-5 to lead all players in hits. Balderston would add three to her Game One tally of two, while Tucker would again have two herself. Hales joined Tucker with a pair of hits as well 

- Caldwell would score three times for Catawba, with four players each reaching home twice 

- Hales, Caldwell, and Balderston all notched four RBIs, with Balderston bringing in eight total on the day  

- Gallagher drew four walks, leading all players  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

FIRST INNING 

- This time, Emory & Henry would strike first; Williams and King would be able to reach and advance to third and second on a wild pitch, with a single from Lydia Taylor sending them both home for a 2-0 lead 

SECOND INNING 

- With Caldwell and Balderston aboard at second and third, Herring sent a double into right-center that sent Caldwell home for Catawba's first run of the game 

 THIRD INNING 

- Tucker would tie the game at 2-2 with a lead-off solo shot into center field 

- A double from Street allowed King to score again, this time all the way from first to put Emory & Henry back on top at 3-2 

FOURTH INNING 

- A single from Balderston would lead to Payne replacing Dowdy in the circle for Emory & Henry. While she'd quickly tally two strikeouts, Hales would get the better of Payne for a three-run shot into center field that put Catawba up 5-3 

- A Simpson home run led off the bottom of the inning for Emory & Henry, before a single from King would allow Hill to score from third and tie the game at 5-5 

- With King able to advance to second on a wild pitch, a single from Moran Silvis up the middle would give the Wasps a 6-5 lead 

FIFTH INNING 

- With Brendle at first after a leadoff single, Caldwell sent a home-run over the center field wall to put Catawba up, 7-6 

- Caldwell's shot would be answered by two from Emory & Henry, however. With Simpson and Hill aboard at third and second, Williams launched a ball over the right-field side for a 9-7 lead 

- The Wasps would go up by four after Taylor sent another ball over the right-field line, bringing King home from first as well with the score now 11-7 

SIXTH INNING 

- But Catawba had a response, in the form of their own five-run inning immediately after. Gallagher, Carter, and Brendle would be able to load the bases with no outs, allowing a drawn walk from Caldwell to send Gallagher home 

- History would prove to repeat itself, with an Emory & Henry pitching change bringing Street into the circle to relieve Payne with Balderston next up. Just like the first game, Balderston would launch a grand-slam out of the park as the first batter faced. Unlike Game One, where her grand slam in the seventh inning tied the game at 12-12, Balderston's shot gave Catawba a 12-11 lead 

- Emory & Henry had an answer through Hill, who was able to bring Emma Anderson and Street home from second and third with a single up the middle to make it 13-12 

SEVENTH INNING 

- Again, Catawba's bats would prove lively in the seventh inning. Hales led off for Catawba by sending her second home-run of the game into center field, tying the game at 13-13.  

- After a walk, Gallagher would be able to advance to third off of another single from Brendle; Caldwell sent her home, giving Catawba a 14-13 lead 

- With runners on first and second after an error and HBP, Yates sent a single down the third-base line that brought home the tying run and positioned Street on third with no outs 

- A single from Hill would do just that, giving Emory & Henry their second seventh-inning walkoff win of the day, 15-14. Street (2-2) would also earn the win, with Hales (3-4) taking her second loss of the day 

UP NEXT 

- Catawba Softball is back on the road for their next doubleheader, heading to Newberry, S.C. to take on the Newberry Wolves in a pair of games set for 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.