The EMU softball team ran into some tough pitching Sunday on the road, dropping a pair of 3-0 decisions at Lynchburg.  The Hornets stand in third place in the ODAC while Eastern Mennonite is in eighth with two games left to play.

The Royals (14-12, 7-11 ODAC) have a conference doubleheader at Sweet Briar on Saturday to end the regular season.  EMU is tied with Shenandoah for the final playoff spot, with SU holding a tougher draw against Emory & Henry in their finale.

The eight-team ODAC Tournament starts Friday, April 24, at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.

Lynchburg 3, EMU 0
Sunday's opener was scoreless until the third when Lynchburg got a two-run homer to go ahead.  Danyele Smith (Broadway, Va./Broadway) was hit by a pitch with two outs in the fourth, and that turned out to be the women's only baserunner in the game.

The Hornets loaded the bases in the fifth and had to settle for one run, providing the final tally in game one.

Cara Neikirk (Salem, Va./Glenvar) allowed all three runs in 4.1 innings to get the loss.  Lauren Seale (Madison, Va./Madison County) threw 1.2 innings of hitless relief.  LC's Hope Johnson struck out seven Royals en route to the no hitter.

Lynchburg 3, EMU 0
Game two was a balanced pitchers' duel, staying scoreless into the fifth inning.  EMU's best chance to score came in the second, when Smith led off with a double and stood on third with one out.  But a pair of strikeouts left her stranded.

After giving up just one hit early and retiring 11 straight Hornets, Seale ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth.  EMU's starting pitcher gave up back-to-back singles to start the frame and saw the bases get loaded with one out.  She nearly got out of the jam unscathed, but a two-out single up the middle allowed two runs to cross for the home team.

The Hornets tacked on another run in the sixth, while all that the women could manage was a two-out single in the seventh.

Seale was the hard luck loser, giving up six hits in 6.0 frames.

Smith, Aislinn Lucas (Grottoes, Va./Fort Defiance) and Mariah Foltz (Broadway, Va./Broadway) had Eastern Mennonite's only hits.

The Royals play a non-conference doubleheader at Mary Washington on Tuesday, with first pitch at 3:00pm.