– The No. 9 Emory & Henry College softball team assured itself of a home series in the quarterfinals of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament with a doubleheader sweep of University of Lynchburg Sunday afternoon. The Wasps won game one by an 8-5 score and completed the sweep with a 7-2 win in the nightcap.
The contest also served as Senior Day for E&H who honored Alex Braun, Cameron Derr, Kydall Hiatt, Hannah Morrison, Allyson Steadman and Kendall Varner.
Game One – No. 9 Emory & Henry 8, Lynchburg 5Lynchburg jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run single down the left field line by Kaleigh Hackett. The Wasps responded with three runs in the bottom of the third with three-straight RBI base knocks. Junior left fielder Nicole Cox and Braun had back-to-back doubles to highlight the frame.
In the fourth, Hiatt pushed E&H’s lead to 5-2 with a two-run shot to left field. The Hornets bounced back with three runs in the fifth to tie the contest, 5-5. Ashley Hailey and Lexi Powell both had RBI base hits in the frame.
Emory & Henry got the go-ahead runs in the sixth as Cox knocked a two-run single to left center and Steadman made it 8-5 on a sacrifice fly, plating Cox.
Derr picked up the complete-game win in the circle, allowing two earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts. Lynchburg’s Emily Charlton suffered the loss, permitting five runs on seven hits in three-plus innings of work.
Game Two – No. 9 Emory & Henry 7, Lynchburg 2E&H opened the scoring as Hiatt hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Varner in the second. The Wasps made it 2-0 in the fourth as sophomore catcher Dacey Jenkins plated Varner with a fielder’s choice.
In the fifth, the Hornets scored twice on a double to left-center by Karle Cundiff to tie the contest, 2-2. Braun put the Wasps back ahead, 3-2, in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run to center.
Emory & Henry added four insurance runs in the sixth as Morrison drilled a three-run shot to center and junior centerfielder Anna Thomas capped the scoring with a round-tripper down the right-field line, 7-2.
Braun grabbed her 11th complete-game victory, scattering two runs and six hits while striking out five. Kayley Cox took the loss for the Hornets, allowing seven runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings.
