Led by solid pitching from junior Katelin Martin (Goochland, Va./Goochland) and timely hitting from the offense, EMU's softball women made a pair of comebacks Wednesday afternoon in Harrisonburg. One ended in a dramatic walk-off win, while the other came up one run short in a non-conference split with visiting Southern Virginia.

The Royals stay at home for a pair of ODAC doubleheaders this weekend. Guilford comes to visit on Saturday, with the first pitch at 1:00pm, before Emory & Henry comes to town on Sunday at 1:30pm.

SVU 6, EMU 2
The Knights struck early, getting back-to-back-to-back hits to load the bases with one out in the top of the first. EMU nearly escaped with just one run scoring, but a two-out error kept the door open and three more unearned runs came walking through for a 4-0 deficit.

Southern Virginia loaded the bases again in the third and two more, including another unearned.

Eastern Mennonite didn't get their first base runner until the fourth inning, but then started to get a bead on SVU pitcher Abigail Harris as the game wore on. Finally, in the sixth they broke through. Erin Keith (Stuart, Va./Patrick County) shot a double to put to runners in scoring position and Sierra Lantz (Broadway, Va./Broadway) got the clutch single to bring in the first run. Keith then scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.

Still needing a big comeback, the bottom three of EMU's batting order came up big. Elizabeth Horn (Dover, Del./Polytech) and Autumn Bailey (Harrisonburg, Va./East Rockingham) each had hard-hit singles to start the frame, bringing up the No. 9 hitter, Aaliyah Lawhorne (Fishersville, Va./Wilson Memorial). In just her second hit of the season, Lawhorne shot a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run homer, making it a one-run game. Bri Allen (Weyers Cave, Va./Fort Defiance) restarted the rally with a single, and was sacrificed into scoring position, but a fly ball and strikeout ended the comeback one run short.

Led by two hits each from Allen and Bailey, the Royals out-hit SVU 9-8. But the women were hurt by four errors, leading to four unearned runs.

Martin added a single and a walk, and also pitched 4.0 scoring innings in relief. Starting pitcher Emily Campbell (Broadway, Va./Broadway) was chased after 3.0 innings of work and took the loss.

EMU 5, SVU 4
The Knights again struck first in the second game, loading the bases with after three batters and eventually bringing two home. A two-out double in the top of the third made it 3-0.

But this time, the Royals started their comeback sooner. Bailey led off the bottom of the third with a single and one out later Allen followed with a longball into the left field bullpen netting. It was the first home run for the freshman and cut the margin to 3-2.

Southern Virginia got one run back in the fourth, but a double play ended the rally.

In the sixth, Keith led off with a single and Lantz added a one-out single, chasing Keith to third. The first run came home on a short sacrifice fly, and then Horn poked a two-out single to bring in the tying run for a 4-4 score.

In her 11th inning of work on the day, Martin kept things under control with a 1-2-3 frame, setting up the offense. Emily Davis (King George, Va./Fredericksburg Christian) shot a pinch hit double with one away to get a runner in scoring position, and Allen came through with another big swing, this time the walk-off single to left, as Davis came sprinting home for the win.

EMU had 10 hits in the nightcap, led by two hits from Bailey and a two-hit, three-RBI performance from Allen.

Martin went the distance in the circle, scattering eight hits for her first win since the 2019 season.