WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle softball team completed their six-game road trip on Friday afternoon as the Eagles went up against the seventh-ranked Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish. Both games came down to the wire with both teams combining for just two runs on the day. Unfortunately, the Eagles lost both games 1-0. ERAU falls to 25-11 overall and 13-8 in Sunshine State Conference play while PBA improves to 25-2 overall and 18-0 in conference play. 

Game 1

Pitching was the main focal point through the afternoon as neither team managed to hit the ball for much success. The first hit of the contest came in the bottom of the third as the Sailfish hit an infield single. PBA picked up two more hits in the fourth but could not advance the runners past second base. The game was scoreless entering the fifth inning of play. 

Embry-Riddle was on the wrong end of a perfect game until the fifth inning as Mariana Pereira singled through the right side. A pitch hit Katy Thompson, advancing Pereira to second. Peqe Lopez reached on a fielder's choice putting runners on first and second with one out. However, the Eagles stranded both runners and went to the bottom of the fifth tied 0-0. The Eagles tallied their final hit of the game in the sixth with Mackie Chandler singling up the middle.  

Palm Beach Atlantic capitalized off the missed opportunities by the Eagles, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an RBI single to left field. The Eagles failed to reach base in the seventh and lost game one by a final score of 1-0. Jayla Jackson pitched well even though she picked up the loss for the Blue and Gold. Jackson pitched six innings, allowed one run (earned), six hits, and struck out six. 

Game 2

The second contest of the afternoon was extremely similar to game one as both teams were locked in another pitching duel. The Eagles tallied their first hit in the third inning as Maggie Scott hit a single up the middle. Scott was later caught stealing for the first time all season. ERAU tallied another hit in the fourth with Katy Thompson singled to right field. Through fourth innings of play, Ilona Andringa had not surrendered a hit and the score was tied at 0-0 going to the fifth. 

The Sailfish broke up Andringa's no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth off a single to center.  The Eagles best scoring chance came in the sixth as Scott singled to short to start things off. Lopez advanced Scott to second with a sacrifice bunt to third. With two outs and Scott on second, Thompson hit a single to first base in which Scott attempted to score but was called out by home plate umpire Percy Wilson. This would be the closest either team came to scoring in regulation, so the game went to extra innings for the second straight day. 

The Eagles had another great opportunity in the top of the eighth to put their first run of the day on the board. Lisa Hop singled off a bunt. Scott picked up her third hit of the day, singling to short. Hop advanced to third on the play thanks to a throwing error by the Sailfish shortstop. Scott eventually stole second and Embry-Riddle had runners on second and third with one out. But, the Eagles failed to advance the runners anymore and went to the bottom of the eighth scoreless. 

PBA once again had timely hitting, knocking in the game-winning run thanks to an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the eighth. It would be the fourth time in five games in which the Sailfish won off a walk-off hit. Ilona Andringa lost her second game in a row due to walk-off hits in extra innings. Andringa pitched seven and a third, allowed one run (earned), off six hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. The Eagles have now lost five in a row.  

Embry-Riddle returns to action on Friday, April 6th to take on Rollins College. It will be game one of a three-game Sunshine State Conference series between the two schools with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.