The Emory University softball team faces a four-game week against South Region competition. On Tuesday (Apr. 17), the Eagles host LaGrange College for a pair of contests with the first pitch slated for 2:30 pm. On Thursday, Emory travels to Piedmont College for a double dip starting at 4:00 pm.
The Eagles, ranked 20th in last week's NFCA Top 25 Poll and the owners of a 20-8 overall ledger (11-1 UAA), ventured to Brandeis this past weekend where they came away with three wins in the four-game series. Emory recorded 2-0 and 10-1 (5 inn.) decisions on Friday before splitting a twin bill on Saturday, seeing a 12-game win streak after dropping a 6-1 outcome in the opener before bouncing back to post a 10-1 (5 inn.) triumph in the finale. Junior Lana Herrmann and sophomore Jessy McLean swung the big bats, hitting a combined .579 (11-of-19) with 10 runs scored, four home runs and 10 RBIs. Herrmann crunched a pair of homers and totaled 5 RBIs in Friday's 10-1 victory, while McLean socked a pair of round trippers en route to registering a four-RBI effort in the series finale. Freshman Jacqueline Spizizen continued her stellar play in the circle, picking up two wins and finishing with an ERA of 0.64 over 11 innings of action.
Emory checks in with a season batting average of .284 while the opposition stands at .206. Junior outfielder Jenna Wilson paces the team with a .409 mark (27-of-66), good for fifth place among conference performers, and is tied with McLean for the team lead with eight multi-hit contests. In addition, Wilson tops the club and stands second in the conference with 14 stolen bases. McLean will enter the LaGrange contests with an eight-game hitting streak, the high-water mark by an Emory player this season, which has upped her season batting average to .351 (26-of-74). In the pitching department, Spizizen has crafted a 13-4 slate and checks in with an ERA of 1.51 and 94 strikeouts in 88 innings of work.
LaGrange heads to Atlanta looking to shake a six-game losing streak that has left its record at 13-23. The Panthers are led in hitting by junior catcher Emily Barrs, who posts a .355 mark (38-of-107) at the plate. The pitching tandem of senior Emily Cauldwell (7-12, 3.21 ERA) and sophomore Chelsea Twardoski (6-9, 3.64 ERA) have accounted for all of LaGrange's wins so far this season. Calling the shots for the Panthers is 16th-year head coach Jennifer Claybrook.
Now in his 20th year as head coach, Terry Martin has guided the 2018 edition of the Piedmont team to an overall record of 23-17. Junior outfield Mariann Kennison has started all 40 games and paces the team in hitting with a .427 effort at the plate while classmate Josie Coker is close behind at .426. Junior Melissa Eckman has been a lynchpin among the pitching staff, registering a 16-9 record to go along with an ERA of 2.60 over 159 innings.