DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Playing on its true home field for the first time all season, the Embry-Riddle softball team split a doubleheader with Ave Maria on Friday. The Eagles took game one, 3-1, before dropping the second game, 2-1.
The Blue and Gold remain at .500 overall at 19-19 and are 4-8 in conference play, while the Gyrenes move to 22-20 and 6-4 in league games.
Game 1 - ERAU 3, AMU 1
Neither team mounted much of an offensive threat until the fourth inning. Ave Maria strung together three consecutive two-out hits to push across a run in the top half, taking a 1-0 lead. The Blue and Gold answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, including an RBI single from Taylor Cowan, putting Embry-Riddle ahead, 2-1.
The Eagles tacked on an insurance run on another RBI single from Cowan in the bottom of the sixth and Raquelli Bianco pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to close out the 3-1 victory.
Bianco (12-7) got the complete game win, allowing one run on five hits, walking none and striking out six. Cowan finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Haleigh Lewis was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
Cheyenne Benson (9-11) took the complete game loss for Ave Maria, allowing three runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out three. McKayla Jeter went 2-for-3 and Marlie Braddy was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Game 2 - AMU 2, ERAU 1
The Gyrenes took an early lead in game two, scoring in the top of the second to go ahead, 1-0.
Rae Heuer led off the bottom of the third with a double to left-center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Kailah Rain. Bianco delivered an RBI single to score Heuer and tied the game at 1-1.
In the top of the fifth, Brandi Griswold and Kingsley Avery started the frame with back-to-back singles. After Victoria Thompson moved both runners up 60 feet with a sacrifice bunt, Benson hit a sacrifice fly to score Griswold with what would prove to be the game-winning run.
The Gyrenes threatened to extend their lead in the sixth but Robi Zimmerman struck out Avery looking at three straight pitches to leave the bases loaded.
The Blue and Gold had baserunners in the sixth and seventh, but couldn't push across the tying run, falling by a 2-1 score.
Zimmerman (6-12) took the loss in a complete game effort, allowing just two runs while scattering 12 hits and walking one with four strikeouts. Rain was 2-for-3 with a double and Bianco was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Emily Lemin (8-8) got the win, giving up one run on five hits in six innings of work, walking four and striking out six. Benson came on with a runner on and nobody out and pitched a scoreless seventh to earn her first save of the year. Benson also was 2-for-3 with a double and an RIB at the plate, while Griswold was 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.
The Eagles will close out the home portion of the 2015 season tomorrow morning when they host Northwood in a conference doubleheader. The games have been moved back to the Daytona State College Softball Complex and first pitch is slated for 10 a.m.
