The Emory softball team, ranked No. 2 nationally, remains undefeated at the University Athletic Association Championships after posting a pair of Thursday wins.  The Eagles battled to a 9-6 victory over Case Western in their opening contest of the day before edging Brandeis by a 3-0 margin.  Emory stands 29-1 overall, 5-0 in league action.

Freshman Sydney Carpenter and junior Amanda Kardys combined for the shutout against Brandeis.  Carpenter earned the win, her fourth of the season, after holding the Judges scoreless over the first five innings and striking out nine.  Kardys picked up the save after going the final two frames and surrendering one hit. The game was scoreless after four innings before junior Ally Kersthold led off the Eagles' half of the fifth with her first home run of the year.   Emory accounted for its other two runs the following inning when it made the most of three Brandies errors. 

In a shootout against Case Western that saw the clubs combine for 25 hits, including four doubles and three homers, the Eagles were led by a trio of players, junior Megan Light along with freshmen Hannah Sendel and Alyssa Pollard, who hit safely twice while combining for six RBIs.  After the Spartans jumped out on top by scoring four runs after the first two batters of the game were retired, Emory answered with three runs in the bottom of the first with Light coming through with the big blow, a two-run homer, her seventh of the season.  The Eagles tied the game in the third after a double by Sendel allowed Light to cross the plate.  Emory went ahead for good the following frame with a five-run explosion keyed by a two-run double by freshman Courtney Sugihara followed by a three-run homer by Sendel.   Case scored a pair of runs in the fifth but Carpenter came on to toss two scoreless innings of relief in notching her second save of the Championships, and making junior Lena Brottman, who threw 4 1/3 innings of relief, the winning pitcher, her sixth victory in as many decisions on the year.

The Eagles return to action at the Championships on Friday when they play Washington University at 12:30 pm.  An Emory win would clinch at least a tie for the title.