COLLINS HILL, Ga. – In a battle of first-year programs, the Embry-Riddle softball team came up short in both games at Georgia Gwinnett, falling to 0-6 in its inaugural season. The Grizzlies, who improved to 3-3 in their first season, took the first game, 12-11, and won the second game, 11-9.
 
Game 1 – GGC 12, ERAU 11
 
Game one started out as a low-scoring affair, with the Grizzlies plating a run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead through three innings.
 
The Eagles got right back in the game when Robi Zimmerman led off the fourth with a single and Haleigh Lewis launched a two-run home run over the left-center field fence to tie the game at two.
 
GGC rallied back with three runs on three hits and an Eagle error in the bottom of the fourth, moving back in front, 5-2.
 
Sarah Huey led off the fifth with a single and Alex Wood followed with a base hit of her own, moving Huey to third. After Wood stole second, Dee Espinosa singled up the middle to score Huey. Wood and Espinosa attempted a double-steal which led to Wood being thrown out at the plate and Espinosa moving over to third. Haleigh Lewis followed with a base hit that scored Espinosa and Savannah Smith kept the rally going with a single to put runners at first and second. Jessica Osteen laced a base hit through the right side that brought home Lewis to tie the game at five. After a pitching change, Chanley Burge and Samantha Smith each drew four-pitch walks, which brought Savannah Smith in to score, giving the Eagles a 6-5 lead.
 
After the Grizzlies scored once in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at six, Embry-Riddle took advantage of four walks to plate three runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run double from Savannah Smith.
 
With ERAU leading 9-6, the Grizzlies exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Georgia Gwinnett used three walks and an Eagle error to plate the six runs, taking a 12-9 lead to the seventh inning.
 
The Eagles showed their resiliency in the seventh, scoring two runs to pull within one at 12-11. ERAU had the potential tying run at third base and the potential go-ahead runs at first and second when Burge was called out on strikes to end the game.
 
Zimmerman got the start and pitched 4.1 innings, allowing six runs (three earned) on four hits while walking six and striking out three. Melanie Lee(0-2) took the loss in relief, giving up six runs (one earned) on two hits and five walks in 1.2 innings of work.
 
Savannah Smith went 4-for-5 with a double, run scored and two RBIs. Lewis finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBIs. Huey (3-for-5) and Wood (three walks, three stolen bases, two runs scored) were both effective at the top of the lineup for the Eagles.
 
Ashley Beyke started for GGC and went 4.2 innings, giving up six runs on 11 hits, walking two and striking out three. Tiffany Bailey (2-2) picked up the win in relief despite giving up five runs on six hits while walking seven and striking out one in 2.1 innings of work.
 
Ashleigh Simmons went 2-for-2 with two walks, a double, two runs scored and two RBIs for the Grizzlies, while Carrie Ann Bullard drew two walks and scored three runs.
 
Game Two – GGC 11, ERAU 9
 
Embry-Riddle scored first in game two as Espinosa drove home Huey with a sac fly in the top of the first, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
 
The Grizzlies took the lead on back-to-back RBI triples in the bottom of the first, putting Georgia Gwinnett ahead, 2-1.
 
Samantha Smith knocked in Savannah Smith with a two-out single in the top of the second, tying the game at 2-2.
 
GGC loaded the bases in the second on a pair of walks and a hit batter, and the Grizzlies made Embry-Riddle pay when Heaven Hinton brought home two of the runners with a double down the right-field line, putting Georgia Gwinnett ahead, 4-2.
 
The score remained 4-2 until the fourth inning, when the Eagles sent eight players to the plate and scored five times. Huey plated a pair with a double to left-center and Zimmerman put the Blue and Gold in front with a three-run home run that cleared the right-field fence by a good distance.
 
The 7-4 lead was short-lived, as GGC came back to score three times in the bottom half of the fourth to tie the game at 7-7.
 
The Grizzlies added another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to pull ahead by four runs, 11-7.
 
Zimmerman got the seventh inning off to a good start with a solo home run, pulling the Eagles to within three at 11-8. Burge doubled down the right-field line to score Savannah Smith, making the score 11-9. But Embry-Riddle couldn't push across any more runs, falling to the Grizzlies, 11-9.
 
Lee got the start in the circle, pitching three innings and allowing four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out one. Zimmerman (0-2) took the loss in relief, giving up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts in three innings of work.
 
Huey picked up three more hits including a double in four at-bats, scoring twice and driving in two. Zimmerman went 2-for-4 at the plate with two home runs and four RBIs.
 
Bailey (3-2) started and got the win for GGC, going six innings, allowing seven runs (two earned) on seven hits and four walks while striking out two. Beyke pitched the seventh inning and gave up two runs on three hits and a walk, collecting two strikeouts.
 
Hinton went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and three RBIs, while Halley Ingram was 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI.
 
The Eagles return to action on Feb. 23 when they travel to Brunswick, Ga. for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Coastal Georgia.