Box Score Junior pitcher Brittany File tossed a two-hitter on Friday in leading the No.9-ranked Emory softball team to a victory over Birmingham Southern in the Eagles' opening NCAA Tournament Regional game. Emory raised its overall record to 41-4 following a 3-1 decision over BSC who slipped to 36-9. Hosting the Mount Berry Regional is Berry College.
File fanned 10 batters, her 12th double-figure effort of the campaign, and allowed one walk in boosting her season record to 31-2. After allowing a leadoff to single to the Panthers' Abby Spencer, File went on to retire the next 15 batters before giving up a lead-off walk in the bottom of the sixth.
Emory got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of third. Freshman Sam Vincent led off the frame with a single and then moved to second on a ground out. Junior left fielder Taylor Forte singled down the left field line and then moved to second on the throw to the plate that Vincent beat. After a single by senior catcher Melody Carter moved Forte to third, a throwing error by the BSC catcher attempting to throw out pinch runner Raygan Greer at second, allowed Forte to cross the plate. The Eagles scored their final run in the top of the sixth when a two-out single by freshman Lana Herrmann scored Carter who led off the frame with a single.
Forte came through with the defensive gem of the day, and perhaps the year for Emory, when she robbed the Panthers' Micaela Beck of a home run in the bottom of the fifth, which kept the Panthers off the board. BSC did touch File up for a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Emory hurler set BSC down in order in the seven to secure the win.
Emory moves into the winners bracket in the double elimination competition and will play either host Berry College or Piedmont College on Saturday morning with the first pitch slated for 11:00 am.
Taylor Forte robbed Micaela Beck of a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
