The Emory University softball team opened up UAA play in heart-stopping fashion with a walk-off win over the No. 5 Case Western Reserve Spartans on Friday afternoon in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Eagles improve to 11-7 on the year and handed the Spartans their first loss of the season after coming into the game with a 14-0 record.

Emory jumped on an early lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a leadoff single from freshman Ashley Chu and her speed on the basepaths. Freshman Ella Hoyle plated Chu with a double to center field giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

Emory was able to score again in the bottom of the fourth. With bases loaded, freshman Isabel Cohen knocked an infield single followed by a walk from junior Leslie Berg to give the Eagles a 3-0 going into the fifth.

The Spartans scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning on a double down the left field line. Case Western Reserve then started a rally in the top of the seventh inning scoring two more runs on back-to-back doubles. The Spartans took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.

With a similar play from the first inning, Chu scored on a double to center field from Hoyle to tie the game. After advancing to third, junior Abby Sekoff came in as a pinch runner and was brought home on a single from junior Natalie Swift in walk-off fashion to take the game 5-4.

The Eagles will face the Spartans again in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 25 at 1 pm and 3 pm followed by the series finale on Sunday, March 26 at noon.