The 2017 edition of the Emory softball team recorded the school’s 18th consecutive winning campaign in the 19-year history of the program, compiling an overall record of 25-13.  With the University Athletic Association implementing a total of four four-game series to replace the league tournament, the Eagles finished second in the loop, posting a won-lost ledger of 8-6.   And while the club saw a streak of six straight NCAA Tournament appearances come to an end, there were a number of notable accomplishments that the squad could take pride in, and which bodes well for the future.

** Leading the UAA and ranking 51^st nationally in hitting with a .330 mark

** Topping the UAA and placing 30^th in the D-III ranks in on-base percentage (.403)

** Averaging a conference-best 5.89 runs per outing

** Registering a league-high .447 slugging percentage

** Hitting 19 home runs

** Outscoring the opposition by a 224-131 margin

** Collecting 10 or more hits in 17 contests

** Seeing the pitching staff shutout nine opponents

** Claiming a total of eight wins against six teams that advanced to the NCAA D-III Tournament.

Emory opened the year by winning three of four games at its 3n2 Elite Invite Tournament, coming away with a pair of wins against Rhodes College while splitting a pair of outings against eventual NCAA Tournament-bound Averett University.  The Eagles saw their record even out at 3-3 after dropping both games of a twin bill at region foe and NCAA Tourney team Berry College.  However, the team regrouped and rattled off a season-long six-game winning streak, which included a 3-0 slate at the William Peace Triangle Classic.  Emory returned home where it came out on the short end in three of four games against Christopher Newport, with two of those setbacks being by two runs or less.  After dropping the first game of a doubleheader to No. 25 Lynchburg, a resilient group of Eagles battled to five straight triumphs, outscoring the opposition by a 24-3 margin in the final three decisions of that stretch.

The opening UAA series saw Emory travel to Case Western, where it split the four-game set with both of its two losses one-run verdicts.  The Eagles returned to Atlanta to begin a 10-game home stand, opening with a sweep of a doubleheader against postseason member DePauw University.  Another UAA series awaited Emory with Washington University coming to town. The Eagles jumped on the Bears, winning the opening two games in shutout fashion, before Wash U bounced back to capture the final two affairs of the weekend.  Brandeis was next up on the schedule and the Judges came away with a sweep on the first day of action before the Eagles used a pair of sterling pitching performances from Brittany File to claim a pair a shutout victories to close out the series.  Emory then wrapped up its season on a successful note, winning the only two games that it would play at New York University.  

One of three seniors on the team, Brittany File closed out her honor-filled career by compiling a final won-lost record of 13-4, with her victory total placing her second among UAA hurlers. A First Team All-UAA honoree for the second straight season, she logged 116 1/3 innings of work (fourth among UAA hurlers) and struck out 157 opposing batters, second on the conference chart and 23rd in the D-III ranks.  File’s average of 9.45 strikeouts per seven innings topped the league, ranked 10th in Division III and placed fourth on the Eagles' seasonal ladder.  Career-wise she hung up her uniform as the program’s all-time leader in wins, finishing with a mark of 76-21.  She established the school win record on April 8, when her five-inning, complete game 8-0 decision over Brandeis gave her 74 victories, surpassing the previous standard of 73 held by Nicole Kovski (2001-04).  In addition to her wins total, other Emory all-time pitching categories where File ranked first included strikeouts (817), strikeouts per seven innings (9.71) and appearances (133).

Senior Taylor Forte, a fixture in left field during her final three seasons, played a key role in the fortunes of the 2017 team. A starter in all 38 contests, Forte garnered First Team All-UAA and Second Team All-Atlantic Region accolades after hitting a conference-best .436, collecting a team-high 51 hits in 117 plate appearances.  The owner of a team-high 16 multi-hit outings,  She topped the UAA and was 23rd in the D-III ranks with a .538 on-base percentage, good for the No. 3 spot on the school's seasonal chart.  Over the course of her four years, Forte saw action in 154 games, 136 as a starter, and posted 43 multi-hit efforts.  She finished with a career hitting mark of .376 (153 for 407), good for 11^th place on the school’s all-time list, and her .480 career on-base percentage ranks No. 5 all-time at Emory.

Senior Amy Wray bid farewell to program with a solid campaign, hitting .303 (33 for 109) and tying for the team lead with eight doubles.  Wray played in all 38 games and drew 36 starting assignments, 28 at second base and eight in right field, and handled all 89 of her defensive chances flawlessly.  She placed fourth on the team in multi-hit (10) and was third in multi-RBI (6) performances. She was tabbed as the UAA Hitter of the Week on two occasions.  During her stint as an Eagle, she appeared in 136 games and registered 27 performances with two or more hits.

Freshman Jessie Michael made her presence felt in her first year, starting 32 of the 36 games she saw action in.  Michael hit .364 (39 for 107) en route to landing First Team All-UAA as well as UAA Rookie of the Year acclaim. She produced a team-leading 10 multi-RBI contests and was No. 3 on the club with 12 games with two or more hits. Her 39 safeties was good for the No. 2 slot on the team and 13^th among UAA leaders.  Michael topped the squad with 32 RBIs, good for second among UAA players.

A pair of sophomores, outfielder Sam Vincent and shortstop Cassie Baca, came through with good years.  Vincent played her way to Second Team All-UAA recognition after finishing second on the team and fourth on the league ladder in hitting with a .418 performance (33 for 79).  She posted six-multi-hit outings and her 11-game hitting streak (Mar. 17- Mar. 30) was the longest by an Emory player during the year.  An anchor in the infield, Baca was one of two Emory players to start all 38 games, and she hit .322 (38 for 118) on the year with her 38 hits third on the team’s scoresheet and 17^th in the conference.  She tied for first on the squad and fifth in the league with 32 runs scored. 

Honors and Awards