After a scoreless first, Emory allowed the first two runners to reach in the bottom half of the second inning, prompting the Eagles to send Friday's starter Jacqueline Spizizen in to replace starter Madison Schaefer with nobody out. After hitting the first batter she faced to load the bases, Spizizen struck out Kayla Hugate for the first out of the inning. But the next batter, Skylar Dickens, singled up the middle with the infield in to plate two runs as Lynchburg jumped out to the early lead.

With one out in the top of the Eagles' fourth, Cassie Baca hit a double into the gap in left center scoring Jessy McLean and cutting the lead in half, 2-1. Baca advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was thrown out at home on Sami Feller's squeeze bunt, keeping the deficit at one.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Feller hit a single to left to keep Emory alive in the inning and Allie Moberg followed that up by crushing a double into the gap in right with Feller speeding around from first to score the tying run.

With the game still tied in the top half of the seventh, Jenna Wilson led off for the Eagles with a sharp single down the right side. After Sarah Flanders bunted Wilson over to second, Sarah Katz reached on an infield error to put runners at first and second. Then with McLean batting, the Eagles called for a double steal and Wilson showed some heads up baserunning, scoring on the errant throw to third. Now playing with the lead, McLean hit a double over the outstretched arm of left fielder Carol Oberhelman, scoring Katz and putting Emory up 4-2 to seal the victory.

Spizizen held strong in long relief, allowing no earned runs and tossing six strikeouts on seven hits over six innings of work en route to her 17th win of the season.


MARYVILLE COLLEGE 5, EMORY 2

The Maryville College Scots held off the heat and a late rally by the Emory University Eagles to win 5-2 and advance for a chance at the NCAA D-III Atlanta Regional championship against the Berry College Vikings on Sunday.

The Scots were led by pitcher Katlyn Smith, pitching a complete game and allowing just two runs on five hits. Essence Strambler drove in two runs and Alexus Murray added two hits and an RBI for Maryville. The Eagles had runs driven in by Sarah Flanders and Sarah Katz in the loss.

After a scoreless first, Emory's starter Toko Miller gave up a double that was pounded down the third base line by Maryville second baseman Taylor Campbell to score the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning. Murray reached base on a bunt single, which advanced Campbell to third, and then with Christen Torres at the plate, Murray stole second to put runners at second and third. Torres hit Miller's next pitch sharply, scoring Campbell and ending Miller's day. Sami Feller took over for Miller, striking out the first two batters she faced and ending the inning with Emory down two.

Murray struck again with two outs in the third with a single to left driving in Christina White, who walked to start the inning. That would be it for Feller, replaced by Jacqueline Spizizen, who already pitching six relief innings in the first game of the day. Spizizen forced Maryville pinch hitter Aly Snider into a pop out with the bases loaded to retire the side and hold the Maryville advantage to 3-0.

But Maryville was able to get to Emory's hard throwing right-hander in the fourth when Strambler hit a towering double over the head of Flanders, scoring Hayden and Morgan Brewer, putting the Scots up 5-0. Spizizen avoided further damage, striking out Torres with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Emory was finally able to eat into Maryville's lead in the seventh, starting with a walk to Lana Herrmann and then a double by Turnquist to put runners in scoring position with no outs. Sacrifice flies by Flanders and Katz scored Herrmann and Turnquist, but Jessy McLean grounded out to end Emery's rally and the ballgame.

Smith earned the win for Maryville, her 17th of teh season against two defeats, while Miller took the loss for the Eagles.

Maryville will face Berry College on Sunday at 12 pm.  Berry needs one win to advance to next weekend's Super Regionals.  If Maryville wints, then a 2:30 pm contest will be played.