HARRISONBURG, Va. - The EMU softball team welcomed Ferrum to Gehman Field on Saturday, looking get back in the ODAC win column. 

But it wasn't in the cards for the Royals, as Ferrum left Harrisonburg with wins in both games, taking down EMU 5-2 in game one and 15-8 in game two. The Royals now sit at 17-8-1, 3-8 ODAC. 

Highlights - Game One

• The Panthers got a runner to second in the top of the first after a single and wild pitch off Royals starter Emily Campbell, but Campbell stranded the runner on second with a strikeout. In the bottom of the frame, Bri Allen led off with a deep homerun over the left field fence to give EMU a 1-0 lead. 
• Ferrum was able to tie things in the top of the third after a leadoff triple and a sac fly plated a run. They were able to take the lead in the top of the fifth after a two-out walk, an error and a two-RBI triple, to move ahead 3-1. 
• In the bottom of the sixth, EMU pulled back within a run. Allen led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and then scored on back-to-back fly outs, the last one coming as a sac fly RBI from Kaitlyn Fletcher. Ferrum extended their lead in the top of the seventh, getting runners on and scoring them on a wild pitch and a passed ball, to take a 5-2 lead. Carsen Brake would pick up a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh but would stay at first as the final out was recorded on a fly out. Campbell took the loss, moving her to 9-3. She went six innings, giving up four earned runs while striking out five. 
• Offensively, EMU was led by Allen, who had a hit and an RBI. Campbell, Brake and Natalye Graham also had hits while Allen and Fletcher had EMU's two RBI. 

B. Allen Homerun

Highlights - Game Two

• This time it was a Ferrum homerun in the first inning that kicked off the scoring. After a single and a stolen base, the Panthers number two hitter hit a ball over the left-center fence, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead off Graham, who got the start in the circle for the Royals. EMU was able to put runners on the corners with one out in the first but couldn't cut into the lead after back-to-back pop outs. 
• Graham worked around a leadoff walk and got the next three outs, bringing the Royals offense back up to the plate. Brake walked and moved to second on Graham's sac bunt. A strikeout gave Ferrum two outs but Emerson Adkins singled up the middle, plating Brake; Adkins ended up on second on the throw home. She moved to third when Allen reached on an error and both came in to score on Erin Keith's double, giving the Royals a 3-2 lead.
• The Royals would threaten once again in the third, putting runners on second and third with two outs but couldn't extend their lead. In the fourth, Ferrum used a single, a sac bunt and another single to tie things at three. EMU would respond in the bottom of the frame when Keith singled and advanced to second on an error. She then came around to score on an RBI single by Fletcher, putting the Royals back on top, 4-3. 
• Ferrum tried to put the game away in the fifth and sixth, plating eight runs and chasing two EMU pitchers. But Katelin Martin, seeing her first action of the season in the circle, picked up a groundout to stop the bleeding for EMU. The Royals bats came to life in the sixth. Korenn Paige and Adkins started with back-to-back singles and Paige scored on Allen's RBI double with Adkins advancing to third. Adkins and Allen then scored on Keith's second double of the day. After a Fletcher single put runners on the corners, a Sierra Lantz sac fly plated Keith and EMU trailed just 11-8. EMU continued to threaten, getting runners to second and third with two outs but the threat was ended with a pop out. Ferrum added four insurance runs in the seventh and even though EMU was able to get a pair of runners on, couldn't push anyone across as they picked up the loss. Graham picked up the loss in the circle, moving her to 4-4 on the season. She gave up five earned runs in four innings while striking out three. 
• Keith had a big day at the plate, finishing 3-3 with a pair of double and four RBI. Allen, Fletcher and Adkins all had multiple hits while Allen, Fletcher, Lantz and Adkins all drove in runs. 

What's Next

EMU will have a quick turnaround as they'll head to Virginia Beach on Sunday for a doubleheader with defending national champion, Virginia Wesleyan. 

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