GREENSBORO, N.C. – Freshman Sloane King’s two-out RBI single in the eighth gave Guilford College’s softball team a 7-6 upset of seventh-ranked Emory University Saturday afternoon. The Eagles (7-1) came back to win the nightcap of the Quakers’ (1-1) season-opening doubleheader, 7-3.
Emory, rated seventh in the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association (NFCA) Division III Preseason Coaches’ Poll, rallied from a 5-2 game-one deficit in the seventh on Brooke Healey’s leadoff homer, followed by Jessica Boni’s two-run shot two-batters later. Jessica Burcham relieved Guilford starter Ashley Boteler and worked around a two-out walk to get out of the inning.
Sophia Tarte’s second run-scoring single of the game gave Emory a 6-5 lead in the eighth, but Guilford answered in the bottom of the inning. Brittany Donathan’s RBI double with two strikes tied the game with one out. Bridget Holloway retired pinch-hitter Alex Todd on a groundout that moved Donathan to third before King followed with a hit to right-center to score the winning run.
Guilford’s Cynthia Hayes and Rachel Howard both had three hits for the Quakers, who outhit the Eagles, 11-6. Tarte’s two hits and two RBI paced Emory’s hitters. Bridget Holloway, a third-team All-American in 2011, took the loss in relief.
Emory jumped on Burcham (1-1) for two runs in the top of the first in game two and added two more unearned runs against reliever Shelby Bowser in the second for a quick 4-1 lead. Megan Light had three RBIs on two hits in the two innings.
The Eagles added three more unearned runs and took a 7-1 lead into the seventh inning before Guilford’s bats came alive and scored twice in a four-hit ninth against Holloway (3-1). Guilford again outhit Emory, 9-5, but could not overcome seven errors, which led to five unearned runs.
Guilford’s doubleheader with visiting Methodist University, scheduled for Sunday (2/19), has been postponed due to forecast rain. The Quakers host Peace College Wednesday (2/22) at 2:00 p.m.