HARRISONBURG, Va. - If you're a fan of drama, Gehman Field was the place for you on Tuesday. 

Trailing Hood College 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh of the first game, the Royals used two solo homeruns to send the game to extra innings where they walked it off in the bottom of the ninth, 9-8. In the second game, with things tied 5-5 in the final frame, EMU had runners on second and third with one out but couldn't push across the winning run as the game ended in a tie. The Royals now stand at 14-1-1, 0-0 ODAC. 

Highlights - Game One

• The Blazers used a walk, a stolen base, a single and an error to pick up a pair of first innings runs off Royals starter Natalye Graham. EMU responded in its half of the first, with Erin Keith tripling and Kaitlyn Fletcher doubling her home, cutting the deficit to 3-1. 
• Hood added two more in the second, all with two outs, to pull ahead 5-1 but Graham settled down and induced a flyout with runners on the corners to end the Blazers threat. 
• The Royals bats stayed relatively quiet through the middle part of the game, but Graham kept Hood off balance and kept EMU in the game. In the fifth, Bri Allen singled to lead off and Keith sac bunted her to single. Fletcher and Sierra Lantz hit back-to-back doubles, plating a pair and Grace Fravel picked up an RBI groundout to cut the Hood lead to 5-4. 
• A two-run homerun in the top of the sixth put HC back up by three, but like they've done most of the season, EMU's bats responded. In the sixth, Korenn Paige drilled a homerun over the right field fence to pull EMU back within two. In the seventh, Fletcher and Lantz went back-to-back with solo shots to tie things at seven and send the game into extra innings. 
• The Blazers were able to add a run in the eighth and the Royals matched that in their half, with Emily Campbell driving in Becca Boone. Graham shut Hood down in the ninth, keeping the placed runner on second and giving EMU a chance to win it in the ninth. Allen started the inning on second, the NCAA softball extra innings rule, and came around to score on Fletcher's RBI single to left center, giving EMU the walkoff win. Graham picked up the win, moving to 4-0, pitching all nine innings, giving up five earned runs while striking out six. 
• Fletcher ended the day 4-5 with a homerun, a pair of doubles, four RBI and two runs. Lantz, Keith and Boone all had two hits apiece and Lantz also had a pair of RBI. 

Highlights - Game Two

• Hood once again got the scoring started in the first inning, this time picking up a pair of runs off Campbell, EMU's game two starter. EMU re-took the lead in the second when Autumn Bailey drove in Boone and Campbell reached on an error, plating two. Allen followed that up with an RBI double to put EMU ahead 4-2. 
• A three-run homerun in the fourth would give Hood the lead back, but only briefly as Allen singled in Campbell in the fourth, tying things at five. In the final frame, Allen led off with a single and Keith followed that up with a bunt single of her own. The two were moved over on a Fletcher groundout but were stranded with two straight popouts before the game was called due to darkness. Campbell went the distance for EMU, giving up four earned runs and four walks while striking out seven. 
• EMU's offense was led by Allen who had three hits, including a double, with a pair of RBI. Lantz also had a pair of hits and a run while Bailey had the other RBI for EMU. 

Postgame Interview with K. Fletcher and S. Lantz

What's Next

EMU will kick off ODAC play this weekend when Lynchburg visit Gehman Field for a pair of games. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 pm. 

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