The Royals gave the ODAC's surprise team a run for their money on the road today, but still ended up with two tough losses at Guilford.  The Quakers were picked one spot behind EMU at eighth in the preseason poll, but entered the day with a record of 19-3 and received a vote in this week's national poll.  It took last ditch efforts in both games for GC to get past the young Royals.

Guilford 7, EMU 4
Eastern Mennonite jumped on the board first, loading the bases with their first three batters of the game.  Jordan Aylor (Madison, Va./Madison County) walked in one run, and Mariah Foltz (Broadway, Va./Broadway) added a two-run double for a 3-0 lead.

The Quakers finally got going in the third, scoring four times to take their first lead at 4-3.

Brooke Hensley (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) tied the game in the top of the sixth with a two-out RBI single, but Guilford had another big at-bat in the bottom of the frame, plating three more go back up 7-4.  The women could only manage a two-out walk in the seventh, taking the loss.

Hensley led the offense by going 2-2 with a walk, run and RBI.  Aylor was 1-2 with two walks and an RBI.  Foltz had two RBIs with her only hit.

Cara Neikirk (Salem, Va./Glenvar) was charged with all seven runs in 5.2 innings, falling to 3-2.  Molly Smith (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) gave up one hit in the sixth and got the final out.

Guilford 5, EMU 4 – 8 innings
In the nightcap, the Royals left seven runners on base and trailed 3-0 by the end of the third.  Casey Racer (Madison, Va./Madison County) scored an unearned run in the fourth, but Guilford got it right back to make it 4-1.

In the fifth, EMU finally cashed in on all their baserunners.  They batted through the order, with Hensley walking with the bases loaded to bring in the third run of the frame, tying the score at 4-4.

Both offenses suddenly went cold, with only a combined two baserunners through the seventh inning.  The Royals had runners on the corners with one out in the top of the eighth, but back-to-back popouts left the game tied.  In the bottom of the frame, the Quakers got their free runner to third via a one-out wild pitch, and then scored the game-winning run with a single.

The women combined nine hits with eight walks in the game, but also left 13 runners on base.  Hensley and Racer each had a hit and two walks.  Smith and Brooke Sigrist (Crimora, Va./Fort Defiance) each had a pair of singles.

Aylor went the distance from the circle, giving up nine hits to take the loss and fall to 2-5.

Now 5-9 overall and 0-2 in the ODAC, the Royals swing through Lynchburg on their way home, playing two with the Hornets on Sunday.  First pitch is 1:30pm.