HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Emory & Henry University Softball Team (1-1) got the 2025 season started on Saturday at the Railsplitter Invitational. The Wasps blasted Lees-McRae College (0-1) in record-breaking fashion by a 32-1 margin to start the day and fell by a 13-5 scoreline to Tiffin University (1-0) to conclude Saturday's action.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Emory & Henry 32, Lees-McRae 1 (five innings)
GAME TWO – Tiffin 13, Emory & Henry 5 (five innings)
LOCATION – Harrogate, Tennessee
VENUE – Dorothy Neely Softball Complex
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-1, 0-0 SAC); Lees-McRae (0-1, 0-0 Carolinas); Tiffin (1-0, 0-0 G-MAC)
Game One – Emory & Henry 32, Lees-McRae 1 (five innings)
The Bobcats pushed one across in the top of the first on a base hit base hit by Allie Johnston. Emory & Henry exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by a two-run single by sophomore left fielder Karsen Simpson (Salisbury, N.C.) and a two-run double by senior centerfielder Mackenzie Williams (St. Augustine, Fla.).
In the second, the Wasps extended their advantage to 19-1. Senior right fielder Danielle King (Spencer, N.C.) had a two-run double while junior shortstop Rachel Hill (Standardsville, Va.) plated a pair with a single. Another nine runs came E&H's way in the third as the lead swelled to 26-1. Freshman first baseman Liberty Johnson (Arvonia, Va.) tagged her first career home run in the frame while senior right fielder Grace Harper (Williamsburg, Va.) had a two-run sacrifice fly.
Emory & Henry tacked on four more in the fourth for the final 32-1 margin. It marked the third time in program history and the first time since 2001 that the Wasps have broken the 30-run plateau. The mark tied the school record of 32 runs set in 2000 at Eastern Mennonite (Mar. 25) and the 31-run victory is the largest in school history.
Junior right-hander Malorie Reeves (Galax, Va.) earned the win in her debut for the Wasps, scattering one run on two hits with five strikeouts over four innings.
Game Two – Tiffin 13, Emory & Henry 5 (five innings)
Tiffin got out to a 2-0 lead after one as Maci Head hit a two-run home run. The Dragons pushed the lead to 6-0 in the second inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Reagan Mingerink. Three more came Tiffin's way in the third to push their advantage to 9-0 as Mingerink tallied another two-run base knock.
Emory & Henry got its offense going in the top of the first on a two-run triple by Simpson. In the fifth, senior first baseman Lydia Taylor (Salem, Va.) had a RBI single and sophomore third baseman Tristyn Tofano (Roanoke, Va.) drilled a two-run home run to close the gap to 9-5.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Dragons pushed four more across included RBI singles by Jessica Miller and Molly Koesters to make it a 13-5 game and invoke the eight-run advantage rule. Ella Esterby earned the win in the circle for Tiffin, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out four. Junior Kylie Cundiff (Roanoke, Va.) suffered the loss for E&H, permitting six runs on five hits in just 1.1 innings.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will return to action on Sunday when it faces the Dragons (10:00 a.m.) and Bobcats (noon) again.
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