The Emory softball team made quick work out of the UChicago Maroons, shutting out their UAA foe 5-0 in an hour and a half to start the weekend series.

Junior catcher Lillian Ware was honored pregame as she became the all-time program leader in runners caught stealing earlier this season, throwing out three Piedmont Lions during the Eagles opening series back in February. Adding to that record throughout the season, Ware is now at 38 runners thrown out and counting from behind the plate. 

Freshman pitcher Sydney Thune and the Emory defense went three up, three down to start the first inning in dominant fashion before Shivani Nangia hit a monster triple out to right field to find herself in scoring position. During the next at bat, Ellie Zerr brought Nangia in on a ground out to the pitcher, making it 1-0 in the bottom of the first.

With another scoreless inning from the Maroons, the Eagles took advantage in the second as an Allie Stevenson double brought Addison Kwong across home plate to bring the score to 2-0. Nangia's bat stayed hot as she came up to bat later in the inning, hitting a double down the right field line to score Megan Sutton and Stevenson to make it 4-0. The final run of the game came at the end of the second as a bases-loaded walk from Ware scored Alejandra Wittman, bringing the score to 5-0.

Supplied with run support, Thune and Lexi Bach blanked the Maroons over the final five innings to record the shutout, earning their eighth conference win of the season to lead the UAA.

The Eagles will look to win the series tomorrow as they face UChicago in a Saturday doubleheader, with the first pitch set for 12:00 p.m.