The Eastern Mennonite University softball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat Muhlenberg College 4-3 Monday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla.

EMU dropped the second game of the day to Widener University by a score of 2-1. The Lady Royals are now 3-1 overall this season.

Muhlenberg, which had defeated the second ranked team in the nation in Wartburg 4-3 on Sunday, held a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. Per international rules, the last player to make an out in the previous inning is put on second base. EMU wasted little time in bringing her in as sophomore third baseman Nicole Shelton (Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin) laced a double into the gap with senior shortstop Miranda White (Verona, Va./Fort Defiance) coming up with the game winning hit as she two-hopped the wall for a triple. White fell just a home run short of the cycle as she also had a double and a single in the game.

Sophomore Nicole Wade (Madison Heights, Va./Liberty Christian Acad.) pitched a complete game three-hitter for EMU as she allowed only the two runs in seven innings for her first collegiate win.

In the second game against Widener the Lady Royals outhit Pride 4-3, but was unable to the timely hit needed to get past Widener in the end. Junior Jamie Fraysher (Waterford, Va./Loudoun Valley) pitched the first four innings for EMU and picked up the tough luck loss with senior Natasha Viafora (Stanley, Va./Page Co.) completed the last three innings.

"We played well but just didn't hit the ball the way we can in the second game," commented EMU head coach J.D. McCurdy. "The wind was blowing in throughout the second game and we had a couple of hard hit balls hit right at people. Give them (Widener) credit though, they played very well today. Muhlenberg was not an easy battle either. They had a tough pitcher out there and were coming off a good win against Wartburg."

The Lady Royals will look to rebound in the third day of competition at the Rebel Spring Games with another double header on Wednesday, March 4. EMU will play Geneva at 3 p.m. followed by a game with Wittenburg at 5 p.m.