The Eastern Mennonite University softball team got off to a 2-0 start after the first day of competition at the Ferrum Tournament in Ferrum, Va. The Lady Royals are now 6-6 overall on the season and will play Ohio Valley at 11 a.m. on Sunday to kick off the second round of play.

In the tournaments first contest EMU squared off against host Ferrum and defeated the Panthers by a score of 4-3. Junior pitcher Natasha Viafora (Stanley, Va.) had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning before high winds and timely hitting by the Panthers allowed three runs to cross the plate before Viafora was able to get the final out.

Freshman Nicole Shelton (Richmond, Va.) had two hits and a two-run double for EMU while junior Miranda White (Verona, Va.) and Viafora each picked up an RBI in the 4-3 win.

In the second game sophomore pitcher Jamie Fraysher (Waterford, Va.) went five innings allowing only one base hit as EMU cruised to a 9-0 win. Viafora blasted her first home run of the season, a three-run shot, while White also added a solo home run for EMU. Junior outfielder Anna Coleman (Fairfield, Va.) and freshman Corrie Wood (Culpeper, Va.) also had two RBI's each for EMU.