EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry University Softball Team (20-10, 3-3 SAC) got back on track with a South Atlantic Conference sweep of Mars Hill University (10-14, 1-5 SAC) Wednesday afternoon. The Wasps won game one by a 4-3 margin before completing the sweep with an 11-2 win in five innings.
The Basics
GAME ONE – Emory & Henry 4, Mars Hill 3
GAME TWO – Emory & Henry 11, Mars Hill 2 (five innings)
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Wasps Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (20-10, 3-3 SAC); Mars Hill (10-14, 1-5 SAC)
Game One – Emory & Henry 4, Mars Hill 3
MHU got on the board in the top of the second on a bases-loaded walk by Leah Grimes. The Lions made it 2-0 midway through the third when Farley Park reached home on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the third, Emory & Henry got on the board as senior centerfielder Mackenzie Williams (St. Augustine, Fla.) drove in senior pitcher Olivia Yates (Floyd, Va.) with a ground ball. The Wasps scored twice in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. Senior right fielder Danielle King (Spencer, Va.) plated freshman shortstop Sawyer Tolley (Bedford, Va.) with a single to right field while junior second baseman Abigail Street (Glade Spring, Va.) drove in Williams with a groundout.
In the sixth, Mars Hill tied things up when Camryn Sterling drove in Riley Waters. E&H answered with the go-ahead run in its half of the inning on a double down the left-field line by freshman catcher Liberty Johnson (Arvonia, Va.). The Wasps' defense retired the Lions 1-2-3 in the seventh to claim the 4-3 win.
Emory & Henry junior left-hander Malorie Reeves (Galax, Va.) earned the win in relief, allowing one unearned run on one hit and one strikeout in the final four innings of the game. MHU's Téa Cornett took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
Game Two – Emory & Henry 11, Mars Hill 2 (five innings)
The Wasps jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one highlighted by a two-run double from senior designated player Lydia Taylor (Salem, Va.). E&H pushed its advantage to 5-0 in the second on a two-run home run by Street.
In the third, Tolley swatted a grand slam for her first collegiate home run to extend the Emory & Henry lead to 9-0. The Wasps tacked on two more in the fourth as Johnson and Tolley each had RBI doubles.
Mars Hill spoiled the shutout in the top of the fifth with Grimes driving in a pair with a double to right field to make it 11-2. The Lions would get no closer and the game was called due to the eight-run advantage rule.
Reeves scattered two runs on three hits with three strikeouts for the complete-game win. Mars Hill's Blyth Freeman suffered the loss, allowing nine runs on seven hits and three walks in two-plus innings of work.
Up Next
Emory & Henry steps out of league play on Saturday when it visits Bluefield State University. First pitch between the Wasps and Big Blue is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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