EMU's softball women suffered a disappointing doubleheader loss to visiting McDaniel College Thursday afternoon. The Royals drop to 21-11 overall with their first non-conference losses of the season.

Eastern Mennonite heads to Roanoke College on Saturday for their final ODAC games of the season. The Royals are 9-9 in the conference, while Roanoke is 9-7 with a doubleheader remaining against No. 20 Randolph-Macon.

The women end their regular season next Wednesday at No. 7 Messiah College. The ODAC Tournament is April 28-30 in Salem, Va.

McDaniel 2, EMU 1
After issuing a leadoff walk in the top of the first, pitcher Lauren Seale made one mistake and served up a two-run homer to the Green Terror's second batter, Olivia Kipe. After that, Seale retired 16 straight batters and 21 of the next 22.

But that homerun proved too much to overcome.

It wasn't for a lack of chances, though, as the Royals got at least one runner on base in six of their at-bats. They came close to a big inning in the second, getting runners on second and third with just one out. Mariah Foltz (Broadway, Va./Broadway) launched a ball into the gap in left center, but McDaniel's centerfielder made a diving catch, minimizing what would have been a two-run hit to a sacrifice fly.

EMU got runners on the corners with one away in the third and sixth before coming up empty. In the seventh, the Royals had two runners on with before a double play ended things.

Seale struck out 11 batters in the complete game effort, allowing just three baserunners. Two of them scored as she fell to 8-5 with the tough luck loss.

The offense picked up 10 hits and left eight on base. Seale and Sydney Reath (Chambersburg, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) each had two hits, and Mariann Smith (Hood, Va./Madison County) singled and drew a walk.

McDaniel 8, EMU 2
The Royals struck quickly in the nightcap, starting the bottom of the first with three straight singles, including Seale's which scored the first run. Savannah Jones (Stanley, Va./Page County) added a one-out single, plating a second run for a 2-0 edge.

One bad inning cost EMU again, as the Green Terror erupted in the second. Reath, who started as pitcher in the game, struggled to get strike calls and issued three walks. After the first run scored on a bases loaded free pass, McDaniel started hitting, bringing in seven more runs to change the complexion of the game.

Facing a six-run deficit, the Royals could not group together any of their hits, and never got another runner past first base.

Reath was tagged for all eight of McDaniel's runs in 1.2 innings of work, falling to 10-4. Seale finished off the game and picked up where she left off in the opener, fanning nine in 5.1 frames. On the day, the senior struck out 20 batters in 12.1 innings of work.

Seale also had another two-hit day at plate. Beck Hoskins (Danville, Va./Westover Christian Academy) and Cassidey Chrisman (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) each added a single and a walk.