After yesterday's game was postponed due to weather, the Emory University softball team split the opening games of the weekend against the Brandeis Judges Saturday in Waltham, MA to bring their season record to 14-10 and their conference record to 3-3.
The Eagles came out of the gates strong with an 8-2 victory in their first game against the Judges but was on the other side of things in the second game, falling 7-3.
The Eagles will make up Friday's game on Sunday as they take on the Judges in a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 AM.
Game 1 - Emory 8, Brandeis 2
The Eagles rode a three-run home run performance and a solid pitching effort from senior Mattie Ryan to the win in the first game of the day. Ryan has been phenomenal in the circle as of late earning a win in each of her last seven appearances which brings her season record to 12-2.
Ryan pitched a complete game and gave up just two runs while striking out three batters to go along with a two run day on offense. Graduate student Allie Moberg finished with a team-high three RBI thanks in large part to her second home run of the year. Graduate student Natalie Costero and junior Tyler Miller contributed one home run each to help propel Emory over Brandeis.
The Eagles came roaring out of the gates, scoring four runs in the first inning after taking advantage of a couple of Judges errors. Sophomore Page Nellis was the first to cross the plate as the Judges committed two errors that allowed her to get all the way home. Costero hit the first home run of the game later in the inning that scored both herself and Ryan to give Emory an early 4-0 lead.
A solo shot from the Judges in the second gave them a little momentum but the Eagles snuffed it out quickly, plating another three runs in the third, highlighted by both Moberg and Miller's home runs. The Eagles and Judges would each score one more run over the course of the game but Emory comfortably closed the game with an 8-2 victory.
Game 2 - Emory 3, Brandeis 7
Despite another hot start from the Eagles, the Judges were able to put the game away late thanks to a hot streak from the Judges in the fourth.
Ryan led the team with two RBI, both of which came off a home run in the first. For her second consecutive game, Miller homered which marked her first two home runs of the season.
Ryan started the game off with a bang firing a two-run moon shot into the outfield to put Emory ahead 2-0 early. Brandeis ate into the Eagles lead early plating one run in the bottom of the first. Miller led off the second inning with a homer of her own to put Emory back up two runs but that would be the last run the Eagles would score.
Emory only managed three more hits for the remainder of the game and a strong fourth inning from the Judges that saw them plate four runs would prove too much for the Eagles leading to a split series going into tomorrow's doubleheader.