RALEIGH, NC (EMU Athletics) – It might have been a spring break trip, but the Royals were all business on Friday, taking on a pair of teams to open their time at the Triangle Collegiate Softball Classic.

Game one was a pitcher’s duel between Natalye Graham and the starter for Meredith. The Avenging Angels used a first-inning run to pick up a 1-0 win over EMU. In the second game, EMU’s bats came alive, as they recorded 14 hits en route to a 9-7 win over Elmira.

EMU vs Meredith

Records: EMU 3-3-1, 0-0 ODAC | Meredith 4-5, 0-0 USA South

WP: Lillie Davis (3-2)
LP: Graham (2-2)

Highlights
First Inning
• Meredith’s leadoff batter doubled down the left field line to start the game, and came in to score on a two-out single up the middle, giving Meredith a 1-0 lead.
• Meaghan Dean picked up a two-out single in the first, but was left at first after a strikeout.
Third Inning
• EMU looked to push across the tying run in the bottom of the third, as Brooke Morris singled up the middle, moved to second on Grace Fravel’s hit, and then both advanced on Allana Overby’s sac bunt. Unfortunately for EMU, a ground out ended the threat and kept MC in the lead.
Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Innings
• Both pitchers were dealing, but it looked like, once again, EMU would have a shot to tie things up in the fifth. Braxten Jones walked, moved to second on Maggie Mayhew’s sac bunt and got to third on a ground out. But once again, EMU couldn’t push the runner across as Meredith clung to their one-run lead.
• The Royals had runners on again in the sixth after Dean walked, Destiny Jones singled and both moved up on a ground out to third. A Royals strikeout wrapped up the inning, with Meredith holding onto the lead.
• While Graham stayed strong in the circle, EMU, unfortunately, couldn’t find that tying run, as they went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to drop the day’s opener.

Statistical Leaders
Graham: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 7 K
Fravel, Dean, D. Jones, Morris: 1 hit each

EMU vs Elmira

Records: EMU 4-3-1, 0-0 ODAC | Elmira 1-5, 0-0 Empire 8

WP: Haley Lambert (2-0)
LP: Maryann Sobel (1-1)
Sv: Graham (1)

Highlights
First Inning
• The Royals put runners on second and third in the top of the first after a Dean single and a D. Jones double, but a ground out kept EMU off the board.
• Elmira struck first in the first, using a walk, a ground out and an RBI single, to plate the first run and take a 1-0 lead.
Second Inning
• EMU’s offense came alive in the second, as they plated four runs to take the lead. Madee Arbaugh led off with a single and moved to second on Emerson Adkins’ sac bunt. Mayhew picked up an infield single and Morris’ base hit loaded the bases. Fravel reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in a run, which was followed up by an RBI ground out from Overby, and an RBI single from Dean. Fravel scored on a wild pitch to put the Royals ahead 4-1.
Fifth Inning
• Lambert sat the Soaring Eagles down in order in the second, third and fourth, keeping EMU ahead. EMU tacked on two more in the their half of the fifth, with D. Jones reaching base on an error and Sydney Orndorff driving a ball over the left field fence for a two-run homerun, putting the Royals ahead 6-1.
• Elmira was able to cut their deficit to one in the bottom of the fifth, as the first two batters singled, and moved to second and third on a wild pitch. A comebacker hit Lambert in the knee, and she was removed from the game for Dean, who moved to the circle from her spot at first base.
• A single, a walk and a double later, Elmira had cut EMU’s lead to 6-4 and Arbaugh came in to try to keep EMU’s lead. She got a ground out and a big strike out to limit the Soaring Eagles to just one more run, and keep EMU with a 6-5 lead heading to the sixth.
Sixth Inning
• Fravel reached on an error, moved to second on a sac bunt and got to third on Dean’s fourth hit of the game. D. Jones double, coupled with an Elmira error, plated a pair, extending EMU’s lead to three. Orndorff drove in D. Jones with a base hit, giving the Royals a four-run cushion heading to the bottom of the frame.
• A double and back-to-back singles scored two for Elmira before Arbaugh got a flyout in which Adkins made a great catch running to her left, for the final out of the sixth.
Seventh Inning
• EMU didn’t add to their lead in the top of the seventh and Graham came in looking to shut the door on the Soaring Eagles. She did just that as she struck out the first two batters and got the last out of the game on a fly ball to left, that was caught on another great play, this time by Arbaugh, who moved back out to left in the seventh.

Statistical Leaders
Orndorff: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, R
D. Jones: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R
Dean: 4-5, RBI
Lambert: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER 1K

What’s Next
EMU will be back in action on Saturday, for two more games at the Triangle Collegiate Classic. They’ll start the day with Oberlin at noon before wrapping up the weekend with Methodist at 2:30.

— EMU Athletics —