The No. 2-ranked softball team continued their winning ways with a weekend sweep of the Gordon State College (Ga.) Highlanders on Saturday, winning the opener 7-0 and the second game 12-2. The Eagles are 38-2 on the season and have won 21 of their last 22 games.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Sydney Carpenter started the first game for Emory and had a dominant outing, going six innings and surrendering just three hits and no runs. Carpenter struck out nine and walked five.
Both pitchers breezed through the first inning, as neither team could muster up a hit. The Eagles drew first blood in the bottom of the second when senior first baseman Ellyn Kocoloski drew a bases-loaded walk to give Emory an early 1-0 lead.
After a scoreless third, the Eagles managed to get another run home in the bottom of the fourth without even earning a hit.
Sophomore shortstop Brianna Berceau led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman left fielder Katelyn Gibson. Freshman catcher Melody Carter reached on an error, scoring Berceau and increasing the Eagles' lead.
The Eagles finally pulled away in the bottom of the sixth inning. Berceau followed a leadoff single from freshman second baseman Katie Stout with a double.
Both players were knocked in on a Gibson double that ran the score to 4-0. A two-out single from junior designated hitter Megan Light scored Gibson, followed by a two-run homer from senior third baseman Meaghan Schultz to create the final 7-0 margin.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Madeleine Lowery came in in relief of Carpenter and put the Highlanders away to secure the win.
The Eagles would breeze through the second game as well. Lowery pitched the first three innings and did not surrender a run.
Emory jumped out to a quick lead this team around, following a scoreless inning from the Highlanders with a two-run homer from sophomore catcher Micah Scharff and an RBI single from junior second baseman Claire Bailey.
The Eagles added another run in the second, extending the lead to 4-0, after Gibson singled, stole second and was knocked home on a two-out single from Scharff.
The game was finally put out of reach in the bottom of the third, where the Eagles scored seven runs. Freshman designated hitter Hannah Sendel led off with a walk, followed by a Bailey double.
Sophomore shortstop Moira Sullivan reached on an error, scoring Sendel and Bailey scored on a fielder's choice.
Sullivan scored on a double from freshman center fielder Cortney Sugihara, who came home on a wild pitch. Two RBI singles from Scharff and Kocoloski later and the inning-long assault had finally ended with the Eagles on top, 11-0.
Emory added one more run on a Schultz homer in the fourth.
Junior right-handed pitcher Lena Brottman came in for Lowery in the fourth inning and kept the Highlanders at bay, surrendering two runs in two innings of work to close out the game. Lowery earned the victory.
The Eagles victories came on Emory senior day. The young team honored its two seniors, Schultz and Kocoloski, before the game. Both players had big games, with Schultz hitting two home runs and Kocoloski going three for four from the plate.
The team's Tuesday doubleheader against Berry College was postponed, so the Eagles will next travel to LaGrange College for a season-ending doubleheader on Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. After the double header, Emory will begin postseason play where they will compete in the NCAA Tournament in hopes of earning their first-ever national title.
– By Ryan Smith
Photo by Christine Hines
