Despite showing plenty of offense, EMU's softball women had to settle for a split in a Sunday afternoon ODAC set against Guilford.  The Royals are now 10-6 on the year, including 5-5 in the ODAC, as they prepare to play 12 of their final 14 games on the road.

EMU 14, Guilford 12
The first two innings of the day made it look like the Royals might invoke the mercy rule.  They women batted through their order two full times in the first two frames, plating seven runs for what seemed like a commanding 7-0 lead.

But the pattern flip-flopped quickly, as EMU went down in order in the third while Guilford dented home nine times for a 9-7 edge.

Aislinn Lucas (Grottoes, Va./Fort Defiance) smashed a two-run blast in the fourth to tie the score at 9-9.  And the women kept coming.  Jordan Aylor (Madison, Va./Madison County) hit a bases loaded double to bring in three RBIs, and then scored herself when the throw home was in the dirt and went to the backstop.  Suddenly the Royals were back in front, 13-9.

The Quakers had a pair of solo shots in the fifth to get with two runs, but Lucas added a solo blast in the bottom of the frame.  Guilford scored one run in the seventh before leaving the tying runs on base as EMU won, 14-12.

The game was a test of endurance which featured a combined 29 hits and 11 errors.  Only 11 of the 26 runs in the game were earned.

Lucas finished 4-4 from the plated, scoring four times and adding three RBIs.  Mariah Foltz (Broadway, Va./Broadway), Angelia Miller (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) and Jasmine Johnson (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee) each had two-hit games.

Janna Williams (Kenbridge, Va./Kenston Forest) and Cara Neikirk (Salem, Va./Glenvar) each allowed two earned runs in 2.2 and 1.2 innings, respectively.  Neikirk ended up with the win.  Lauren Seale (Madison, Va./Madison County) gave up just one run over the final 2.2 to get the save.

Guilford 6, EMU 4
Two bad innings cost the Royals in the nightcap.

Aylor launched a solo homerun in the bottom of the first, but the Quakers batted nine women in the second, scoring three times to jump ahead 3-1.

The Royals tied it up in the fourth, as a pair of leadoff walks turned into a two-run rally which didn't feature any hits.  Miller poked an RBI single in the sixth to give the women the lead back, 4-3.

Guilford won it with three runs in the top of the seventh, all coming in with two outs.  The Quakers got a two-run double to take the lead, and then added an RBI single for the 6-4 margin.  EMU went down in order in their final at-bat to settle for the split.

Danyele Smith (Broadway, Va./Broadway) was the only Royal to get more than one hit, finishing 2-3 with a run.  Lucas and Miller each had a single and walk.

Aylor went the distance in the circle and suffered the loss.

After going 1-3 with three tough losses in their weekend homestand against GC and Emory & Henry, Eastern Mennonite looks to get things rolling in the right direction with an ODAC doubleheader at Shenandoah on Wednesday.  First pitch in Winchester is at 3:00pm.

Coach J.D. McCurdy said his team played well this weekend but was hurt by a few lapses: