DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle softball team needed some timely hits and a bit of luck to earn a pair of 7-6 wins over visiting AIB College of Business on Thursday. The Blue and Gold scored three runs in their last at-bat of game one to earn the first victory, and got a walk-off win in game two on a dropped third strike with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. The wins even ERAU's season record at 8-8 while AIB falls to 1-8.
Game 1 - ERAU 7, AIB 6
The Eagles struck for two runs in the first inning, taking advantage of a pair of hit-by-pitches to get on the board first. Anna Battison was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Robi Zimmerman was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out for Raquelli Bianco. Bianco knocked a single to left-center to score Battison and Kailah Rain to give ERAU a 2-0 lead.
After AIB got a run back in the top of the third, the Blue and Gold answered back with two in the bottom half, scoring on a throwing error and a Taylor Cowan RBI single to go ahead 4-1.
The AIB Eagles tied things up with three runs in the fourth, and the score remained 4-4 until the sixth. ERAU used small ball to set up a scoring threat, as Victoria Reed walked, Kelsey McDonnell reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt, and Battison laid down a bunt single to load the bases with one out. Rain came up with a big two-run single up the middle to give Embry-Riddle the lead, and Talia Barraco followed up with an RBI groundout to make it a 7-4 lead.
AIB made it interesting in the seventh as Kara Hilton hit a two-out, two-run double to trim the deficit to 7-6. Zimmerman then came back to pitch, after starting the game and being relieved by Cowan. She only threw four pitches but got a called third strike to end the game and collect the save.
Bianco was 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs, two stolen bases and a run scored for ERAU, while Rain was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored. Battison went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and two runs scored and Cowan was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Zimmerman threw the first five innings, but it was the final third of an inning that she tossed that earned her the save. In total, Zimmerman allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 5.1 innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Cowan (1-0) got the victory, giving up two runs on two hits with two walks in 1.2 innings of work.
Hilton was 1-for-1 with a double, walk, two RBIs and a run scored for AIB, while Jessica Wenger was 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Carissa McBirnie (0-3) took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits in three innings, walking two and striking out one.
Game 2 - ERAU 7, AIB 6
Game two started out as a pitchers' duel, with neither side able to dent the scoreboard through the first three innings. AIB scored once in the fourth and three more times in the fifth to open up a 4-0 lead before the Embry-Riddle bats got going.
ERAU did most of its damage in the fifth, an inning that started with Chanley Burge drawing a walk. Two batters later, Battison singled to put runners on first and second. After a fielder's choice, Bianco drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs. Barraco was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run, and on the very next pitch, Zimmerman unloaded a grand slam over the left-center field fence to put Embry-Riddle ahead, 5-4.
The Blue and Gold held that lead until the top of the seventh, when AIB came up with a pair of two-out runs to take a 6-5 lead.
Down to their final three outs, Embry-Riddle opened the bottom of the seventh with Battison getting hit by a pitch. After a sac bunt, Bianco drilled a triple to score Battison with the tying run and put herself on third base as the potential game-winning run. Barraco hit a hard grounder to third, but Bianco had to hold on the play. Zimmerman was then walked on four pitches, bringing up Cowan. After fouling off back-to-back 1-2 pitches, Cowan swung and missed at a high pitch that got passed the catcher and rolled to the backstop. Bianco saw the ball squirt away and took off for the plate, sliding in safely without a play for the game-winning run.
Zimmerman went 1-for-3 with the grand slam, which pushed her to the top of the all-time RBI leaders list in program history with 60 career RBIs. Bianco was 1-for-3 with a triple, RBI and two runs scored, and Battison was 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Bianco (4-4) got the complete game win, allowing six runs on 12 hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
Jayden Ott went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI for AIB, while Lauren Vittetoe was 2-for-4 with an RBI. McBirnie (0-4) took the loss, allowing two runs on a hit and a walk in 1.2 innings of relief.
The Eagles are back in action on Saturday morning when they host Michigan-Dearborn at 9 a.m. at the Daytona State College Softball Complex.
