EMU's softball women split a doubleheader at Roanoke on Saturday, keeping their ODAC record even at 2-2.  The Royals return home Sunday and step out of conference play to take on nationally ranked Christopher Newport University in a twinbill starting at 1:30pm.

EMU 3, Roanoke 1
The Royals jumped on the board quickly in the first game, as they loaded the bases with one away.  The first run scored on a passed ball, the second on a groundout, and the third on an infield single from Aislinn Lucas (Grottoes, Va./Fort Defiance).

The Maroons got their only run on a solo homerun in the fifth.  Reliever Lauren Seale (Madison, Va./Madison County) then retired seven of the eight Roanoke batters she faced, including five on strikeouts, to save the win.

Eastern Mennonite had nine hits, including three from Mariah Foltz (Broadway, Va./Broadway).  Lucas added two hits and Vivian Maddox (Rustburg, Va./Brookville) had a single and a walk.

Cara Neikirk (Salem, Va./Glenvar) earned the win from the circle by allowing just one run in 4.2 innings.  Seale got the save with 2.1 innings in relief.

Roanoke 8, EMU 6
The women again scored three times in the first to jump ahead, as they combined four hits with one Roanoke error to go up 3-0.  They added two more unearned runs in the third, before the Maroons got on the board with a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame.

Jordan Aylor (Madison, Va./Madison County) stuck a leadoff homer over the right field fence in the fifth to make it 6-2, but Roanoke sliced the lead in half with a pair of two-out runs in the sixth.

The Maroons started the bottom of the seventh with three consecutive singles, plating one run to make it 6-5 and chasing Aylor, who was pitching in relief.  Reliever Lauren Campbell (Stuarts Draft, Va./Stuarts Draft) then gave up a walk-off three run homerun to her first batter, leaving the home team with the come-from-behind win.

Foltz batted 2-3 with a walk and two runs.  Danyele Smith (Broadway, Va./Broadway) added a 2-4 game with two runs and one RBI.  Lucas also had a pair of hits.

Seale pitched the first 3.0 innings and was tagged for two runs.  Aylor gave up five runs in 3.0 innings and got the loss.

The Royals are 6-2 as they prepare for No. 22 CNU on Sunday.