The Emory University softball team swept the Carnegie Mellon Tartans in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
The Eagles improve to 16-7 on the season with the wins and hold a 2-1 record in UAA play this season while the Tartans fall to 7-8 and sit 1-2 in the UAA. Emory made a comeback in both games, taking the first 9-8 and the second game 18-10. Sophomore Ella Hoyle was an offensive powerhouse for the Eagles posting 10 RBI on the day including six in game two which ranks her ninth in the Emory history books in most RBI in a single game.
Game 1: Emory 9, Carnegie Mellon 8
Similar to game one on Friday, the Tartans were able to strike first in the top of the first inning after taking advantage of a double steal to take a 1-0 lead. The Eagles answered the Tartans in the bottom of the first with a leadoff single from sophomore Ashley Chu and a walk from senior Page Nellis. Freshman Ellie Zerr was hit by a pitch to load the bases allowing a sacrifice fly from freshman Grace Cooper to tie the game at one.
The Tartans were able to start a two out rally in the top of the second inning with a walk and a single putting runners on the corner. A single up the middle from CMU brought in two runs for the Tartans to give them a 3-1 advantage. Senior Natalie Swift was able to bring in another run for the Eagles in the bottom of the second but Emory was unable to carry the momentum through the inning and were down 3-2.
Hoyle started her RBI streak with a solo home run to left-center field in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game once again, 3-3. The Eagles were able to get two more base runners in the inning but the Tartans got out of the jam without allowing any more runs.
CMU tacked on five more runs in the fourth and sixth inning on two singles and a three-RBI double to take an 8-3 lead over the Eagles heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
The bottom of the sixth inning was a big one for the Eagles with Swift and Chu starting the inning with a double and a single before Swift was able to score on a throwing error from the catcher. With bases loaded, Hoyle brought in two more runs with a single up the middle cutting CMU's lead to 8-6. Freshman Sonia Klein followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Cooper from third. Sophomore Mackenzie Duford saw her first action on the bases this season after coming in as a pinch runner and scored on a single from junior Kayla Lang to tie the game at eight after six innings.
Freshman Georgia Pineda came into the game in the circle and was able to get three quick outs to hold the score with the Eagles needing a big seventh inning to walk off the game. Nellis started the inning with a hit by pitch followed by a single from Zerr to move Nellis to second before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt from Cooper.
Hoyle got her fourth RBI of the game with a walkoff single to score Nellis securing Emory's 9-8 win in game one.
Game 2: Emory 18, CMU 10
The Eagles struck first in the second game of the day after a quick top of the first from Pineda in the circle. Nellis was hit by a pitch to reach first followed by a double to left-center field to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Hoyle later notched a single through the right side scoring Zerr for her first RBI of game two.
CMU exploded in the top of the second inning posting seven runs on seven hits including four singles while also taking advantage of two errors from Emory's defense. The Eagles also went on a scoring run in the second inning with Swift, Nellis and Zerr all reaching base to start the inning. A bases loaded walk to Cooper brought in the first run of the inning before a bases-clearing double from Hoyle scored three more runs for Emory cutting CMU's lead to 7-6.
Once again, the Tartans followed with runs of their won in the top of the third inning to take an 8-6 lead before the next inning went scoreless from both sides.
Zerr and Cooper started the bottom of the fourth inning with a double and a single before an intentional walk to Hoyle loaded the bases. Klein followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score a run before senior Leslie Berg hit an RBI groundout to score Cooper and tie the game at eight once again.
The back-and-forth scoring continued in the top of the fifth inning with the Tartan's knocking a two-run single up the middle to take a 10-8 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning but the Eagles weren't able to capitalize on the scoring momentum.
The sixth inning was another big inning for the Eagles with the team scoring 10 runs on eight hits and taking advantage of three errors from CMU's defense. Klein and Hoyle combined for four RBI in the inning with two singles and a double. The Eagles took an eight-run lead after a throwing error from the Tartans secured the run and the win for Emory.
The four-game series between the two teams will conclude on Sunday, March 31 with the matchup slated to begin at 1:00 PM.