The Emory University softball team dropped its series opener to the Brandeis University Judges on Friday afternoon with the game taking place at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.
The Eagles fall to 16-13 on the season and hold a 2-7 record in conference play following Friday. The Judges move to 5-4 in the conference and go an equal 11-11 on the season. The RBI machine, Ellie Zerr, continued on Friday afternoon going 2-for-5 with two RBI and a double on the day.
The Judges struck first in the bottom of the second inning taking a 4-0 lead on a three-run homer and a triple to highlight the inning. Senior Page Nellis answered in the next half inning with a triple of her own down the left field line to score a run for the Eagles.
The next two innings were scoreless on both sides before Zerr got her first RBI of the day in the top of the fifth with a single to score Nellis. The top of the sixth inning was big for Emory with freshman Sonia Klein starting the inning with a leadoff home run to center field. Junior Kayla Lang followed a few batters later with an RBI single to center to tie the game at four.
After a pitching change from the Judges, sophomore Ashley Chu was able to reach base and was later brought in on a double from Zerr for her second RBI of the day giving the Eagles a 7-4 lead. Up to bat again in the inning, Klein ended the scoring reaching on a Brandeis error to score Zerr giving Emory an 8-4 lead.
Brandeis wasn't leaving anything unanswered and scored four runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game 8-8. They were also able to take advantage of errors from the defense and notched an RBI double.
Both teams were able to get a runner on base in the seventh inning but were unable to take advantage of the momentum and the game headed into extras. After a scoreless top of the eighth for Emory, the Judges were able to load the bases after two walks and walked off the game with a single to center field.
The Eagles will continue the series with the Judges on Saturday, April 13 with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 PM.