The Emory University softball program picked up another conference sweep against the NYU Violets taking both games of the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Junior Mackenzie Duford threw a no hitter in game one, the 17^th in program history and the first since 2017.
 
The Eagles improve to 28-7 on the season with an 11-4 record in conference play with one conference series left in the season. Emory was led by Duford in the first game with a 4-0 victory followed by a five inning, 9-1 win in game two.
 
Game 1: Emory 4, NYU 0
 
The first few innings were quiet to start the day with Duford getting two strikeouts in the first two innings. Sophomore Grace Cooper was able to notch a base hit in the second inning but the Violets' defense was able to get out of the inning scoreless.
 
NYU got their first base runner of the day in the top of the third with a walk but Duford answered with two more strikeouts in the inning to keep her hitless streak alive. Emory struck next in the bottom half of the inning with freshman Rylie Ballog driving a two-out single to start the rally. She stole second and was brought home on a single from junior Ella Hoyle to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
 
Another scoring run from the Eagles came in the bottom of the sixth with sophomore Ellie Zerr starting things off with a double to left center just inches from clearing the fence. Fellow sophomore Lillian Ware followed with an infield single before both runners were brought in on an two-RBI double from freshman Megan Sutton. Fellow rookie Shivani Nangia answered with an RBI single up the middle to score Sutton giving the Eagles a 4-0 lead.
 
Duford entered the top of the seventh needing just three outs to secure the no hitter. She recorded a fly out and a groundout before recording the final out herself with a comeback grounder to secure the win in game one.
 
Game 2: Emory 9, NYU 1
 
The Violets jumped to an early lead in the top of the first inning on two singles and a wild pitch forcing a pitching change from the Eagles. Emory was able to tie the game in the bottom of the second with an RBI single from Cooper to score sophomore teammate Sonia Klein who walked to start the inning.
 
The Eagles went on a major scoring run in the bottom of the fourth starting with a leadoff home run from Hoyle. Two singles and a fielder's choice loaded the bases before Nangia brought in three more runs with an RBI single before advancing to third on an error from the catcher.
 
Emory's sixth run of the game came after Nangia stole home followed by an RBI double to left from junior Ashley Chu. Ballog followed with an RBI single for the eighth run of the day.
 
Freshman Marisol Gonzalez started the bottom of the fifth with a walk and later advanced to third on a single from Cooper. Coming in as a pinch hitter, sophomore Ella Janish brought in the winning run with a single to right field to secure the series sweep.
 
The Eagles will take a break from conference play this weekend to face the Berry Vikings in Mount Berry, Georgia on Saturday, May 3 at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.