Junior Micah Scharff's two-out double out in the top of the seventh scored Cortney Sugihara with the tie-breaking run, capping a three-run frame and sparking the No. 15 Emory softball team to a come-from-behind victory over No. 15 Piedmont in the Atlanta Regional of the NCAA Division Championships. The Eagles raised their overall record to 38-7 following a 13-12 triumph over the Lions who slipped to 42-7.
Scharff's clutch two-bagger was her third hit of the contest and part of a 17-hit Emory attack. Senior Megan Light posted a 3-for-5 effort at the plate with a pair of solo homers, her second accounting for the Emory's first run in the seventh inning. Light now has 18 homers on the season. Sophomore Hannah Sendel followed Light's homer with her 14th blast of the campaign that knotted the score at 12-12. Emory's 17 hits represented a season high and marked the team's 25th contest with 10 or more safeties.
Emory, the designated visiting team, scored twice in the top of the first, only to see the Lions counter with a five-run inning, which saw sophomore Abby Smith hit a three-run homer that was followed by a lengthy discussion by the Emory coaching staff, umpiring crew and region representatives. The Eagles maintained that they had called for time, but ultimately it was ruled that starting pitcher Amanda Kardys was already in her delivery. Emory battled back to tie the contest at 5-5 in its half of the third when senior left fielder Ally Kersthold came through with a two-out, three-run homer, her first of the season. Piedmont answered by crossing the plate four times in the bottom of the inning, capitalizing on a pair of Emory errors.
Trailing by a 10-6 count, Emory battled back with four runs in the top of the sixth with Scharff and junior Moira Sullivan accounting for the first two scores with run-producing singles. Freshman Sydney Cohen stepped to the plate and delivered a huge two-run single in a pinch-hitting role, scoring Scharff and sophomore Alyssa Pollard. The Lions regained momentum in its half of the inning by scoring twice, the first run coming on a sacrifice fly by Jordin Ellingson that pushed freshman Christine Mobley across the plate on a bang-bang play, followed by a RBI single by Laura Carter, her third hit on the afternoon.
Emory senior Amanda Kardys pocketed the win, her school record 26th of the year against just one setback, while Brittany Head was saddled with the setback, dropping her record to 21-3.
Emory stays in the winner's bracket and will play Sunday (May 11) at noon against Agnes Scott, Lynchburg or Piedmont. If the Eagles win that game, then they will advance to next weekend's Super Regionals. If they lose they will play in an elimination game at 2:30 pm.