The Emory University softball team dropped the series finale against the Carnegie Mellon Tartans, 4-2, on Sunday afternoon to split the series.
The Eagles sit 16-8 on the season after the loss and hold a 2-2 record in UAA play. The Tartans improve to 8-8 on the season while also going 2-2 in the conference. Sophomore Ashley Chu extended her 28-game hitting streak in the final inning on Sunday and is now just one game away from tying the UAA record at 29. Despite the loss, freshman Lexi Bach and sophomore Isabel Cohen combined for just one earned run and five strikeouts through seven innings.
CMU opened the game with a two-out triple to right-center field but Bach was able to get out of the jam with a quick third out to end the inning. The Eagles saw a quick start in the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back walks to Chu and senior Page Nellis but were also unable to capitalize on the base runners and left the inning scoreless.
After getting three outs in the top of the second, freshman Sonia Klein opened the bottom of the second with a hit by pitch before a sacrifice bunt from junior Kayla Lang moved Klein to third base. Klein was able to score on an error from the Tartans' catcher to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead after two complete innings.
The third and fourth innings were quiet for both offenses before three singles in the top of the fifth score three runs for CMU. The Tartans were able to tack on another run in the top of the sixth inning on a single up the middle taking a 4-1 advantage into the bottom of the sixth.
Nellis and freshman Ellie Zerr started the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk and a single before a groundout moved Nellis to third. Continuing her RBI weekend, sophomore Ella Hoyle hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Nellis to cut CMU's lead in half.
The Eagles were able to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning after a walk and singles from Chu and Nellis but the Tartans were able to get out of the jam and secure the 4-2 win.
The Eagles will continue UAA play on Friday, April 5 where they will face the No. 7 ranked Case Western Reserve Spartans with the game slated to begin at 3:00 PM.