Softball Defeats SVU Twice

Photo by Matt Styer

First-year Anny Smucker eyes an incoming pitch during Tuesday's second game. The softball team finished the season with wins of 7-4 and 11-3 over Southern Virginia.

First-year catcher Miranda White's two-run double in the sixth broke a 4-4 tie as women's softball team defeated Southern Virginia University 7-4 in the second game of a non-conference doubleheader at home on Tuesday. EMU also won the first game by a score of 11-3.

EMU closes the season at 17-14 overall and 6-10 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. It was the best winning percentage for the program since the 1992 squad went 22-15-1. It was also the best ODAC record for the Lady Royals since they went 4-6 in 1997. EMU tied for sixth place in the conference standings, but Emory & Henry College holds the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot by virtue of wins over Bridgewater College and Virginia Wesleyan College, two teams ranked higher in the standings.

In the second game, SVU (8-23) struck first with one run in the first inning on an RBI single by first-year catcher Laura Hoskins. EMU (17-14) took control with a four-run second inning. First-year right fielder Anna Coleman drove in a run with a bunt single. Sophomore left fielder Tessa Grubb followed and drove in a run when she reached on an error by first-year second baseman Jerian Isfeld. Two batters later, sophomore center fielder Sabrina Tusing smacked a two-run single up the middle.

The lead did not last long for EMU. The Knights responded in the top of the third inning with two runs. Junior left fielder Emma James reached on a throwing error by EMU first-year third baseman Laura Bomberger and drove in the second run for SVU. James later was caught stealing but Hoskins came in to score the third run for the Knights on the play. SVU tied the game at 4-4 in the next inning on a RBI single by junior first baseman Christine Schramm.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth when EMU loaded the bases with one out. White smacked a two-run double to center field to give the Lady Royals the lead. First-year shortstop Hayley Shepard added a sacrifice fly to account for the 7-4 final score.

First-year Mandy Morris (5-2) earned the victory in relief for EMU after allowing one run on three hits in four innings with a season-high six strikeouts. First-year Roxanne Martin started for the Lady Royals and allowed three runs on six hits in three innings. Tusing was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Bomberger went 2-for-4 while junior first baseman Kristin Lapp was 2-for-3. Senior second baseman Erin Partee went 2-for-4 in her final season at EMU to end the year with a team-best .403 batting average.

First-year Kacy Quetel took the loss for the Knights after allowing seven runs, five earned, in six innings on 12 hits. Schramm went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored to lead SVU offensively while Hoskins went 2-for-4.

In the first game, EMU scored three runs in the first and two in the fourth to pull out to a 5-0 lead. After SVU plated three unearned runs in the fifth, the Lady Royals scored three in the fifth and three in the sixth to record the 11-3 victory.

Grubb (5-6) allowed three unearned runs in five innings on just two hits to earn the victory. Morris pitched one scoreless inning of relief. Grubb was also 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. Shepard and Partee scored two runs apiece.

Senior Linda Bloss allowed 11 runs, five earned, in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss. The defense did not help her effort on the mound as the Knights committed nine errors in the game. First-year right fielder Tiffane Russell went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.