The Emory University softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader on Saturday afternoon against the Illinois Wesleyan Titans in Atlanta, Georgia.

The two teams had not faced each other in 20 years and the Titans were coming off a big win against then ranked No. 3 Berry. The Eagles fall to 8-6 on the season while the Titans improve to 6-4 on the year.

Game 1: Illinois Wesleyan 15, Emory 4

The Titans started strong in the top of the first inning with a leadoff single followed by a walk and a hit by pitch. A single from IWU brought in two runs but pitcher Mackenzie Duford was able to get out of the inning without any more damage.

Back-to-back singles from sophomore Ashley Chu and senior Page Nellis opened the bottom of the first inning before freshman Ellie Zerr brought in Chu with a sacrifice fly to left field. IWU came back in the top of the second to load the bases but Duford was again able to get out of the inning before the Eagles went down in the bottom of the second with three quick outs.

After a scoreless third inning, the Titans were able to get a runner on before a triple brought in the Titan's third run of the day. Another run came in later in the inning after a groundout and IWU went up 4-2 before the Titans scored three more runs in the top of the fifth on five hits and an error from Emory's defense.

Freshman Grace Cooper opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to right field before junior Kayla Lang brought in Cooper with a single to left field. The Eagles were able to get another two runners on before Zerr notched her third RBI of the day bringing in two more runs for Emory with a double down the left field line cutting the Titans' lead to 7-4.

The Titans went on a scoring run in the final two innings posting eight more runs including five in the top of the seventh.

Game 2: Illinois Wesleyan 10, Emory 3

The Titans had another strong start in game two going up 4-0 in the top of the first almost hitting for a team cycle in the inning. Chu posted a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning before a stolen base and a wild pitch moved Chu to third. Sophomore Ella Hoyle scored Emory's first run of game two with a single through the left side to score Chu. 

Emory was scoreless again until the fifth after allowing three more runs from IWU in the second and fourth inning. Chu started the inning with another single before advancing to third. Zerr notched another RBI with a sacrifice fly to right field for Emory's second run of the day. The Titans went up 10-2 after runs in the sixth and seventh inning and it came down to the bottom of the seventh for the Eagles. Emory recorded two quick outs in the bottom half of the inning before a double from Nellis and a single from Zerr scored the Eagles' third run of the game. Hoyle followed with another single but the Titans were able to get the third out to secure the win.

The Eagles will return to Cooper Field on Sunday, March 17 to face Agnes Scott in a doubleheader with game one slated to begin at 1:00 PM.