HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Sweet Briar College softball team (16-20, 5-11 ODAC) overpowered the Eastern Mennonite University Royals (6-24, 2-14 ODAC) today, taking both games by scores of 6-5 in game one and 5-0 in game two.
Game One
In the top of the first, Sweet Briar jumped out to a 2-0 lead as junior
Jordan Martin (Wilmington, N.C.) opened the inning by drawing a walk, senior
Kaylie Hudson (Lynchburg, Va.) also walked and first-year
Sophia Peterson (Ashland, Va.) singled to load the bases. Junior
Ambyre Taylor (Arrington, Va.) then delivered an RBI single to left to bring home Martin, and junior
Ciara Nauful (Forest, Va.) was hit by a pitch later in the inning to force in Hudson.
The Vixens were held scoreless in the second and third innings as EMU answered with four runs to move ahead. The fourth inning brought a big response, as Sweet Briar tied the game at 4-4 on Hudson's two-run single after a throwing error allowed both Martin and junior
Ruby Hite (Clarksville, Va.) to score.
In the fifth, Sweet Briar retook the lead when sophomore
Annie Purvis (Madison Heights, Va.) singled through the right side to drive in senior
Ilka-Marie Kuleba (Endy, N.C.) and make it 5-4.
The sixth inning added an important insurance run, with Peterson singling to left and bringing home Hudson for a 6-5 advantage. Sweet Briar was retired in the seventh, but the bullpen and defense finished the job.
Game Two
Sweet Briar broke the second game open in the fourth inning and never looked back, scoring all five of its runs in that frame to beat EMU 5-0.
First-year
Lexie Aiman (Stafford, Va.) scored first on sophomore
Emily Cottingham's (Chesterfield, Va.) walk with the bases loaded. Senior
Anna Smith (Rocky Mount, Va.) came home on Martin's RBI single. Hudson followed with a two-run single to left center that drove in Cottingham and Kuleba, and Peterson capped the inning with an RBI single that scored Martin.
Highlights
- In the circle in game two, sophomore Abi Sawyers (Matthews, N.C.) earned the win with a complete-game shutout, working seven innings and allowing no runs on five hits while striking out six and walking none.
- Hudson recorded three RBIs over the two games.
- Martin went three-for-four in game two with one RBI and one hit.
What's Next
The Vixens will host Randolph in the final home doubleheader of the season on April 21st.
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