GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Embry-Riddle softball team fell to Martin Methodist in the quarterfinals of the Silver Bracket at the Gulf Coast Invitational by a score of 4-3 on Sunday morning. The Eagles finish the tournament with a 1-4 record and are now 6-9 overall this season, while the RedHawks improve to 11-10 on the year.
The Eagles took an early lead on a solo home run off the bat of
Talia Barraco to lead off the second inning.
MMC got the run back in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Samantha Wilson, but
Robi Zimmerman was able to escape the inning without further damage, leaving three RedHawk runners on the bases.
ERAU answered quickly with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth.
Dee Espinosa led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Barraco sac bunt. After
Samantha Smith singled and stole second, the Eagles were set up with runners on second and third and one out. Two batters later,
Rae Heuer delivered a two-out, two-run double, scoring Espinosa and Smith to put the Eagles ahead, 3-1.
The RedHawks scored twice in the sixth, using an Alley Benefield RBI double and a Morgan May RBI single to tie the game at 3-3.
Courtney Grooms singled home Dharianna Familia with two down in the top of the seventh to put Martin Methodist ahead, 4-3, which would prove to be the game-winning run.
Sarah Huey was 3-for-4 with a stolen base while Heuer was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Barraco was 1-for-2 with a solo home run.
Zimmerman (3-5) took the loss, pitching her sixth complete game of the season. Zimmerman allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits, walking one and striking out six.
May went 3-for-3 with a double, stolen base and an RBI for the RedHawks, while Grooms and Familia were each 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Emily Robb (4-4) earned the win, pitching seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Eagles return to the field one week from today (Mar. 16) when they host Hastings in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. at the ERAU Softball Stadium.
