HARRISONBURG, Va. - The Royals spent their Saturday on the diamond, taking on McDaniel College in a doubleheader.

In the opening game, EMU used a big first inning and Natalye Graham went the distance, en route to a 9-5 win. In the second game, mother nature got the best of both teams, with the game being called after the sixth inning, resulting in a 6-6 tie. 

EMU vs McDaniel - Game One
 
Records: EMU 2-1, 0-0 ODAC | McDaniel 0-1, 0-0 CC
 
WP: Graham (1-1)
LP: Hannah Costa (0-1)

Highlights
 
First Inning 

• The Green Terror got on the board first, scoring a pair of runs off Graham after a pair of singles, a walk and back-to-back bases loaded singles. But Graham settled down and got a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.
• The Royals responded, in a big way, in the bottom of the first. Grace Fravel and Allana Overby both singled, and Fravel moved to third on a throwing error. A double steal plated the first run, with Fravel scoring and Overby advancing to second.
• Meaghan Dean reached first on an error and Destiny Jones followed up with an infield single, loading the bases. Sydney Orndorff's RBI groundout tied the game and, after an EMU strikeout, Destiny Jones doubled in a pair of runs. Maggie Mayhew walked, followed by a Brooke Morris double, sending Mayhew to third and plating D. Jones.
• Fravel came up for her second at-bat of the inning, and doubled, scoring Mayhew and Morris, giving the Royals a 7-2 lead. Overby singled to right, scoring Fravel and wrapping up the EMU scoring, with an 8-2 first inning lead.

 Second Inning 

• Graham sat down the Green Terror in order in the second, and EMU was able to extend their lead. Orndorff doubled, advancing to third on Madee Arbaugh's groundout and then stole home, putting EMU ahead 9-2.

 Middle Innings 

• McDaniel cut EMU's lead to 9-4 with single runs in the third and fourth, but each inning Graham limited the damage, keeping the Royals in the lead. She shut them down in the fifth and sixth, allowing just one baserunner across the two frame.
• EMU put base runners on in each fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but weren't able to extend their lead.

 Seventh Inning 

• Graham got two quick outs in the seventh, but got into some trouble as McDaniel was able to scratch across a run with a single and double. McDaniel added another single, but Graham wrapped up the complete game win, inducing a groundout to end the game.

Statistical Leaders
Fravel: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Graham: 7.0 IP, 12 H, 5 ER, 6 K
Overby: 3-3, RBI, R
 
EMU vs McDaniel - Game Two
 
Records: EMU 2-1-1, 0-0 ODAC | McDaniel 0-1-1, 0-0 CC
 
Highlights
 
First Inning 

• Lambert worked around a two-out hit by pitch to strand a runner on first. Then, EMU struck in their half of the first, taking a 1-0 lead after Overby and Dean both singled, and Overby came in to score on Braxten Jones' RBI single. 

Second Inning 

• After Lambert sat the Green Terror down in order in the second, EMU tacked on two to their lead. Mayhew walked and Morris was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. The two advanced after a wild pitch and came in to score on Overby's RBI single to left, putting EMU ahead 3-0. 

Third Inning 

• This time Lambert worked around a pair of one-out walks, getting a sac bunt and a fly out to keep McDaniel off the board.
• In the bottom of the third, D. Jones led off with a double and came in to score on Morris' RBI single, giving EMU a 4-0 lead. 

Fourth Inning 

• McDaniel got their first hit of the game in the fourth, as they put runners on first and third with a single, walk and a fielder's choice. An RBI single brought in the first run and a wild pitch, along with a walk, loaded the bases. A double cleared the bases, tying the game at four.

Fifth Inning 

• The Green Terror picked up an infield single in the fifth, but was left on first as Lambert retired the next two.
• In the Royals half of the fifth, Orndorff led off with a double, moved to third on Janie Young's sac bunt and came in to score on Morris' RBI, putting EMU back on top, 5-4.

Sixth Inning

• McDaniel led off the sixth with three straight hits, but EMU was able to get an out on a baserunning mistake, keeping runners at first and third. Arbaugh then came in to pitch, and was able to get an out and induce another ground ball, but an EMU error allowed two runs to score, with the Green Terror taking a 6-5 lead. Arbaugh got a groundout to end the frame.
• Dean and D. Jones each drew one-out walks, and after a foul out, Orndorff drove in a run with a single, tying things at six. She moved to second on a wild pitch and Young walked, loading the bases, but a foul out wrapped up the sixth.

Statistical Leaders
Orndorff: 3-4, 2B, RBI, R
Overby: 2-3, 2 RBI, R
Morris: 2-2, 2 RBI, R

What's Next
EMU will be back in action on Tuesday, as they take on Southern Virginia in a home doubleheader. First pitch of game one is set for 2 pm. 

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