In control of their own destiny to claim the regular season conference crown, the Lady Royals welcomed perhaps their biggest challenge left on their ODAC slate - Roanoke College. The visiting Maroons scored first in each contest, but Eastern Mennonite unleashed a barrage of homeruns and picked up a pair of critical, come-from-behind wins Friday afternoon.

EMU 10, Roanoke 8
Box Score
Roanoke rattled the women right out of the gate, plating two runs in the top of the first as EMU committed two errors.

But the Lady Royals, already the most prolific power team in the history of EMU softball, regrouped in the bottom of the frame with a towering shot down the left field line from Lisa Lee (Buckingham, Va./Buckingham County).

The Maroons small-balled in another run in the second, but senior Jessica Sullivan (Midlothian, Va./Manchester) led off the second with just the second homerun of her career. Sara Jenkins (Stanley, Va./Page County) added another homer an out later, as EMU tied the score at 3-3.

The Lady Royals took their first lead in the fourth on two-run shot from Jenkins, but Roanoke answered with a three-run homerun in the top of the fifth to go back in front.

Molly Smith (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) laced a two-run double in the fifth to regain the lead at 7-6.

The Maroons weren't done, however, going back on top with a three-hit, two-run rally in the sixth.

EMU went down in order in the bottom of the sixth before Lee started the rally in the seventh. She shot a one-out single up the middle and power hitter Courtney Allman (Weyers Cave, Va./Fort Defiance) drew a two-out walk. Sullivan followed with her second shot of the game, a three-run, game-winning drive over the right field fence.

The offense had 10 hits, with five of them being homeruns. Lee went 3-4 with three runs scored. Sullivan and Jenkins each had two-homerun efforts. Sullivan finished with five RBIs while Jenkins had three.

Lee also started on the mound, but split time with Smith in a game which saw five lead changes. Each was charged with three earned runs, although Lee pitched for five innings and took the win.

EMU 8, Roanoke 4
Box Score
Not to be deterred by the loss in game one, Roanoke came out swinging in the nightcap and grabbed a 4-1 lead on the strength of seven hits over the first three innings. The Lady Royals, meanwhile, left five runners on base over the same stretch.

The women finally got things going in the fourth when Rasheeda Crews (Brookneal, Va./William Campbell) led off by being hit by a pitch. A walk and two hits later, EMU had plated two runs to get within 4-3.

In the fifth, the floodgates opened. Allman led off with her fourth walk of the day and Crews and Jenkins hit one-out singles to load the bases. A wild pitch tied the game at 4-4 and the women took the lead with a perfectly placed bunt single. With two outs, Brooke Hensley (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) joined the parade with a long homerun to left, plating three more for an 8-4 lead.

Roanoke got two runners on base in each the sixth and seventh innings, but Lee worked herself back out of the jams to preserve the win and sweep.

Eastern Mennonite was again out-hit, but the women also coaxed out four walks, including three from Allman. Hensley led the way with a 3-3 performance including her three-run homer.

Crews and Megan Viafora (Stanley, Va./Page County) each scored twice. Smith and Jessica Blosser (Crimora, Va./Wilson Memorial) each had a pair of hits and Lee added two RBIs.

Smith started on the hill before giving way to Lee in the second. The junior threw the final 5-1/3 innings, allowing only a pair of unearned runs. With the win, Lee moves to 15-6 on the season, breaking the EMU record for wins by a pitcher, which Jamie Fraysher set at 14 in 2006.

The Lady Royals also broke the record for team RBIs in a season as they have 219 with four games left in the regular season. The old mark was 210 RBIs set in 2008.

Eastern Mennonite improves to 22-10 overall and an impressive 11-3 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference while Roanoke slips to 23-9 and 8-6. The Lady Royals host Randolph on Sunday for Senior & Parent Recognition before wrapping up the regular season at Emory & Henry on Monday.

The ODAC Tournament starts next Thursday in Salem, Va.