The Emory University softball team snapped its six-game losing streak Saturday afternoon, taking both games of a doubleheader over Brandeis University on the turf field of Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Freshman phenom Ellie Zerr continued to produce at a high level, totaling six RBI across both games including a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning of game one. The six RBI brings her season total to 50 as she becomes just the fifth player to reach that figure in a single-season in program history. With nine games remaining in the regular season, Zerr sits just 11 RBI shy of tying Megan Light's rookie record set in 2011.
Classmate Georgia Pineda also shined on Saturday, spinning a season-best eight innings and allowed just one earned run to pick up her fourth win of the season.
Now leading 2-1 in the weekend series, the Eagles will look for the series win on Sunday as the finale is set to get started at 11:00 AM in Waltham.
Game 1: Emory 4, Brandeis 3 (8 innings)
Pineda and Brandeis standout Ragini Kannan were locked in a pitcher's duel to open the afternoon at Bentley. Both starters went the full eight innings and gave up just two runs each in regulation.
The Judges struck first with a pair of run-scoring singles to take a 2-0 lead in the second. Following the runs against her, Pineda settled down and limited Brandeis to just four baserunners over the next five innings.
The Eagles saw their answer come in the fourth when Zerr brought home classmate Grace Cooper with a sac fly before sophomore Ella Hoyle tied the game with fielder's choice that forced senior Page Nellis home.
Neither offense made much noise until extras when Zerr once again came through with a clutch hit, smacking a go-ahead two-run home run to left field with one out in the eighth.
The Judges cut the deficit to 4-3 as they took advantage of two errors in the eighth but Pineda was able to get the final out via the ground to seal the win.
Game 2: Emory 12, Brandeis 7
The second game showcased both offenses as the teams combined for 19 runs on 30 hits across the seven frames.
Riding the momentum of game one, the Eagles could not be slowed down in the second game of the day as they scored seven runs over the first two innings to lead 7-0 through one and a half. Nellis jumpstarted her massive game with a one-out double in the first before Zerr homered for the second consecutive at bat to increase the lead to 3-0.
In the second, Cooper brought home freshman Lillian Ware with a fielder's choice on a bunt prior to Zerr doubling home Cooper two batters later. In the next plate appearance, Hoyle cashed in with a single to pick up two RBI.
Over the next two innings, Brandeis slashed the Emory lead to 7-4 with runs against starter Isabel Cohen before Sonia Klein and Kayla Lang recorded RBI hits in the fourth. The next inning, Nellis added two more RBI to her ledger with a single to center to score Ashley Chu and Ware.
The Judges had another three-run frame in the fifth to make it a four-run game again but Lexi Bach was able to silence any further threat as she sent down eight of the final nine batters she faced.
Chu and Lang each had four-hit games in the win while Nellis and Zerr combined for seven RBI. Bach earned her fifth win in the circle, allowing three runs over four innings of relief. She struck out two.