After leading the ODAC in innings pitched in 2020, EMU's Emily Campbell (Broadway, Va./Broadway) came out blazing in 2021, firing a no-hitter in the Royals' first game. Campbell's no-no pushed the softball women to a 3-0 win and a split at Southern Virginia on Saturday.

EMU 3, Southern Virginia 0
Both teams went down in order in the first inning before EMU loaded the bases in the second. They kept the pressure on until breaking through in the fourth with a two-out RBI single from freshman Bri Allen (Weyers Cave, Va./Fort Defiance). Classmate Erin Keith (Stuart, Va./Patrick County) added an RBI single in the sixth before scoring on an error, giving Campbell all the cushion she needed.

Eastern Mennonite's junior struck out two Knights in three of the first five innings and didn't allow a base runner until a two-out walk in the fifth. The only other base runner came via an error in the sixth.

In the seventh, Campbell struck out the first batter, coaxed out a comebacker for the second, and got a called third strike the end the game. Campbell struck out a career high 11 batters and earned the Royals' first no-hitter since early 2019. It was also the program's first seven-inning no-hitter since before 2010.

Allen had a pair of singles in her first collegiate game while Keith was 1-2 with a walk, run and RBI. Campbell drew a pair of walks to aid her own cause.

Southern Virginia 5, EMU 1
The Knights quickly made up for their lack of hits in the nightcap, starting with a leadoff double. A two-out double then gave SVU a 2-0 lead. The home team rapped three straight singles in their next at-bat, with all three players later coming to score for a sudden 5-0 cushion. Campbell entered in relief, but the damage had been done.

Southern Virginia pitcher Krystal Kemp took a page from Campbell's book and sent the Royals down in order through the first six innings. She had a perfect game going until the 27th batter, when Emily Davis (King George, Va./Fredericksburg Christian) launched a two-out homer to left center, breaking up the perfect game, no-hitter and shutout at the last second.

Katelin Martin (Goochland, Va./Goochland) took the loss for EMU. Back in the circle for the first time since April 9, 2019, Martin was tagged for six hits in 1.2 innings. Campbell allowed just two baserunners with four strikeouts over the final 4.1.

The softball team gets a break in action until Tuesday, March 23, when they play two at Mary Washington.