Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The No. 2-ranked Emory softball team clinched at least a share of the University Athletic Association championship on Friday, splitting a pair of games at the conference tournament. The Eagles opened the day with a 3-1 setback to the University of Rochester before bouncing back to claim a 7-3 victory over Case Western. Emory now stands 22-3 overall, 5-2 in the UAA.
In Friday's opener against Rochester, sophomore Lauren Gordodetsky picked up two of the Emory's six hits and knocked in a run. Five of the team's six safeties were of the extra-base variety but the Eagles were only to cross the plate once as UR pitcher Brittany Crage worked her way out of a couple of jams en route to posting the complete-game win. Emory got on the board first when it scored in the bottom of the second. Senior Jessica Boni lead off with a double and then scored following a two-out triple by Gorodetsky. The Yellowjackets took the lead when it scored twice in the top of the third with a two-base hit by Meg Hennessey and a single by Nina Korn driving in the runs. After Rochester tallied once in the top of the fifth, Emory threatened in its half of the inning with runners at the corners with one out. However, the rally died when Emory hit into a double play. In the seventh, Gorodetsky kept the Emory hopes alive with a two-out double. Crage then squelched the comeback by getting a ground out.
Emory pounded out four doubles and a homer as part of its nine-hit attack against Case Western with Boni blasting her fifth round tripper of the campaign and senior Jessica Thomas contributing a pair of doubles in the win. The score was tied 1-1 after two innings before Emory tacked up four runs in the top of the third to take a 5-1 lead. A sacrifice fly by freshman Micah Scharff scored Sophia Tarte with the first score before freshman Brooke Healey delivered a two-run double followed by a run-producing single by sophomore Claire Bailey. Emory extended its lead in the fifth when Thomas led off with a two-bagger and then scoring on Boni's homer. Senior pitcher Bridget Holloway went the distance in picking up her 12th win in 13 decisions, allowing seven hits and striking out six.
The Eagles can capture the title outright on Saturday with a win against Washington University or with one loss by either the Wash U or Case Western. Both WU and Case are 3-3 in the tourney and play two games tomorrow.
