DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle softball team picked up its first Sunshine State Conference series win by sweeping Florida Southern on Saturday afternoon. The Blue and Gold won by scores of 5-1 and 4-3, following a 5-0 win on Friday night. Raquelli Bianco and Kassidy Simons picked up the wins in the circle. In the series finale, the Eagles entered the bottom of seventh inning behind by a run. The home side was able to tie the game and pick up a win on a walk-off wild pitch to score Kailah Rain.

Game 1 - ERAU 5, FSC 1
The Eagles led off the first game of the doubleheader like they have become accustomed to, by scoring first. Anna Battison hit a leadoff double and made her way to third on a wild pitch and scored in the same manner. Raquelli Bianco then plowed her fifth home run of the year down the right field line to give the Eagles a 2-0 advantage.
 
The Blue and Gold then added to their lead in the bottom of the second by playing small ball on the Mocs. Gabriella Obia received a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rae Heuer. Natalie Morales then reached first on a bunt single sending Obia to third. Morales then stole second base and Obia scored as Florida Southern made an attempt to catch Morales. On the next at bat, Battison advanced Morales to third on a sacrifice bunt. Morales was able up the Eagle lead to 4-0 as she crossed the plate on an error by second baseman Beri Scott.
 
Despite getting the leadoff batter on base in every inning, the Mocs weren't able to score until the top of the fifth inning. Jordan Alexander got a leadoff single and scored on the next at bat as Erica Morrissey doubled to left center. The Eagles were able to escape the inning by picking off Morrisey in a failed sacrifice squeeze attempt. Bianco finished off the inning by striking out Maggie Roberts, her third of the game.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the Eagles returned the run. Battison had a leadoff infield single. She advanced to third on a stolen base and an error. Simons drove her in with a ground out to the shortstop.
 
Bianco and the Eagle defense shut down the Mocs in the remaining two innings, putting the batters away three up, three down both times to seal the 5-1 win.
 
Battison was 2-for-2 in the game, scoring twice. Bianco pitched the complete game, earning her fifth win in the circle while striking out four. She was 1-for-3 at the plate with a home run.

Game 2 - ERAU 4, FSC 3
Game two started out as what looked to be a pitchers duel as both sides didn't allow a base runner until Haleigh Lewis' single in the bottom of the second. Neither side allowed a run to cross until the top of the fourth, and it was the Mocs who struck first.
 
The Mocs took advantage of a leadoff walk from Alexander and followed it up with two singles by Morrissey and Roberts to score the first run of the game. The visitors took a 2-0 lead later in the inning as Morrissey was able to advance on a fielders choice and score on an infield single by Sydney Koch.
 
In a two-run hole, the Eagles came back to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. Bianco started the inning by reaching on an error and scored from first as Robi Zimmerman ripped a double to the left center field fence. Up next, Simons recorded her 10th hit by pitch of the season to get on base. Haleigh Lewis then hit into a fielders choice to erase Zimmerman from the base path. With just one out in the inning, Obia hammered a ball down the right field line to drive in Simons and tie the game at two apiece.
 
The score line remained knotted at 2-2 until the Mocs moved ahead in the top of the seventh inning. Erin Klein got it started with a double through the right side, she then advanced to third on a single up the middle from Alexander. Morrissey picked up the RBI as she sent a single through the left side to score Klein.
 
Trailing by a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles got a leadoff single by Heuer. Up next, Morales hit into a fielder's choice to take over first base as the potential tying run. Battison then hit a single through the left side to move Morales to second base. Like Morales, Rain then reached first on a fielder's choice to move Battison to second to represent the new tying run. Bianco then singled to right field to score the speedy Battison from second base.
 
With the game tied up at three, Florida Southern elected to bring in a new pitcher, Hannah Loyer. She threw just one pitch, a ball in the dirt that allowed Rain to cross home plate for the 4-3 walk-off win.
 
Simons picked up her fifth win of the season in the circle, pitching seven complete innings and striking out seven. Bianco was 1-for-4 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI. Zimmerman went 1-for-3 with a double to pick up an RBI as well.
 
The Eagles remain at home for another week as American International College comes to the Embry-Riddle Softball Stadium for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 8. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.