The Emory softball team closed out the regular-season portion of it schedule on a successful note on Senior Day, posting a doubleheader sweep of New York University. On a sun-drenched afternoon, the Eagles treated their home fans to a 5-1 triumph in the opener before registering a 3-2 triumph in the finale. The two wins boosted Emory's overall record to 28-10, 15-1 in the University Athletic Association, while the Violets slipped to 19-17 overall, 4-8 in the league.
Junior Jenna Wilson and senior Sarah Flanders were the offensive heroes for Emory in the first game with Wilson going 3-for-4 at the plate and scoring twice, while Flanders knocked in three runs. The Eagles crossed the plate four times in their half of the second with Flanders delivering a two-run single and sophomore Jessy McLean singling in another. Emory accounted for its final run in the fourth when Wilson hit a one-out triple and later scored on a Flanders' ground out. Sophomore pitcher Sami Feller started and chalked up her first win of the year after tossing four innings of scoreless ball, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Senior Audrey Weller went the final three innings in registering her first save of the campaign.
In the nightcap, senior Ashley Powers led off the seventh with a single and advanced to second following an error by the NYU left fielder. Wilson then laid down a sacrifice bunt attempt that resulted in a Violet throwing error, allowing Powers to scamper home with the winning run. The Eagles had taken a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the fifth when senior Janelle Turnquest ended up with a double after hitting a rope to right center field. After moving up a base after a Powers sacrifice, Turnquest scored when Flanders smacked a sacrifice fly to center. NYU fought back and knotted the score when sophomore Morgan Clemens smacked a one-out homer to left center. NYU then put the next two runners on before Feller came in to quell the uprising by getting the final two outs, and in the process picking up her second win of the day and of the year.
Emory now waits to see what the postseason may hold, with the squad hearing on May 7 at 1:00 pm when the pairings are announced to the NCAA D-III Tournament. The pairings can be seen on ncaa.com.