The No. 4-ranked Emory softball team inched closer to the University Athletic Association title on Friday as it defeated the University of Rochester and Case Western Reserve in a pair of contests.  The Eagles now own a nine-game winning streak following a 6-2 victory over the Yellowjackets of Rochester followed by a 7-2 verdict over Case Western.  Emory is 18-1 overall on the year.

Junior outfielder Taylor Forte went 2-for-2 and scored three runs in the Rochester game while sophomore Ashley Powers socked a two-run homer, her fourth blast of the season, in the bottom of the third that put the Eagles up by a 4-0 margin.  Emory added single runs in the fourth and the sixth with freshman Cassie Baca and sophomore Janelle Turnquest coming through with sacrifice flies.  Junior pitcher Brittany File tossed four hitless innings, striking out 10 opponents, in notching the win.  Freshman Toko Miller earned her second save of the year after going the final three frames.

Baca recorded a pair of hits in the CWRU game, including a solo homer in the third that gave the Eagles a 2-0 edge.  After the Spartans scored a run in the top of the fourth, Forte doubled in a pair of runs in its half of the inning to push Emory to a 4-1 lead.  The Eagles scored twice more in the fifth and then used a solo homer by senior Melody Carter in the sixth to close out the game's scoring. File upped her season mark to 14-1 after hurling the first four innings with Miller and sophomore Audrey Weller combining for the final three frames.

Emory continues UAA action on Saturday with a 10:00 am game vs. Washington University followed by a 1:00 pm bout vs. New York University. A win over WU would clinch the league title for Emory.