HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – EMU softball opened ODAC play on Saturday, as Roanoke College came to the Valley for a doubleheader.

In the opener, Roanoke used a three-spot in the third, fourth and sixth innings, and two in the seventh, to pick up an 11-5 win. Game two was all Maroons, as they scored in four of the five innings, winning 11-1 in five innings.

EMU vs Roanoke – Game One

Records: EMU 2-9, 0-0 ODAC | Roanoke 6-7, 1-0 ODAC

WP: Baylee Compton (3-3)
LP: Jordan Lane (0-4)
Sv: Grace Clary (2)

Highlights

Third Inning
• Roanoke picked up three runs in top of the third, after a leadoff single and a walk, which was followed by a three-run home run.
• EMU got on the board in their half of the third, as Destiny Jones blasted a 3-2 pitch over the left-center wall, cutting Roanoke’s lead to 3-1.
Fourth Inning
• After a leadoff single, a hit-by-pitch and a one-out walk, RC scored a run on a wild pitch followed by a two-run double, taking a 6-1 lead.
Fifth Inning
• After the Maroons went scoreless in the top of the fifth, EMU started chipping away at RC’s lead in the bottom. Payton Keesee led off with a walk and moved to third on Maggie Mayhew’s double.
• Destiny Jones singled through the left side, plating Keesee and, after Meaghan Dean walked to load the bases, Braxten Jones picked up a two-out walk to bring in Mayhew. A ground out, however, ended the frame with the bases loaded.
Sixth and Seventh Innings
• A triple and a single put two runners on, before an RBI ground out scored another Roanoke run. That was followed by a second home run from the Maroons’ Ava Colontrelle, pushing Roanoke’s lead to 9-3.
• In the top of the seventh, a single, an error and another single loaded the bases and then an error plated two runs for an 11-3 Roanoke lead.
• In the bottom of the seventh, D. Jones and Dean singled and Hannah Johnston’s fielder’s choice to shortstop put a runner at third. B. Jones singled up the middle plating D. Jones and Brooke Morris followed that up with an RBI single, putting the Royals within five. But a ground out ended the game with the bases loaded, as Roanoke secured the win.

Statistical Leaders
D. Jones: 3-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
B. Jones: 1-2, 2 RBI

EMU vs Roanoke – Game Two

Records: EMU 2-10, 0-2 ODAC | Roanoke 7-7, 2-0 ODAC

WP: Claire Warden (2-2)
LP: Dean (2-6)

Highlights

First and Second Innings
• Roanoke struck for a pair in the first two innings, using a solo homerun and an RBI single to take a 2-0 lead.
Third Inning
• The Maroons broke the game open in the third, using seven hits to plate six runs and take an 8-0 lead.
Fourth Inning
• Roanoke went scoreless in the top of the fourth, and in the bottom of the frame, D. Jones socked her second homerun of the day to put EMU on the board.
Fifth Inning
• In the top of the fifth, a pair of walks and a two-RBI double, followed by a run on a wild pitch, put the Maroons ahead by 10, 11-1.
• In the bottom of the fifth, EMU went down in order as Roanoke picked up the shortened win.
Statistical Leaders
D. Jones: 1-2, HR, RBI

What’s Next
The road doesn’t get any easier for EMU, as they travel down to Virginia Beach to take on #1 Virginia Wesleyan. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1:00 pm.

— EMU Athletics —