COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Embry-Riddle softball team won both of its games in the second day of the 2019 Cougar Classic.
ERAU (6-5) gutted out two tough wins against Georgia Southwestern State (5-3) and Columbus State (1-4) due in large part to clutch pitching by
Lisa Hop. The Blue and Gold started the day with a 5-4 win against the Lady Canes and ended the day by beating the hosting Cougars 4-1.
Hop was dominant in the circle to start the first game against Georgia Southwestern State. The sophomore struck out seven batters through three innings pitched. Hop did not allow a hit in the ballgame until the fourth inning.
The Eagles struck first on offense thanks to a defensive miscue by the Lady Canes.
Lia Johnson reached on an error, then proceeded to steal two bases on the same play. After stealing second base, Johnson swiped third due to Georgia Southwestern State leaving the base uncovered. She would score on a sac fly by Hop to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Control issues would haunt Hop in the fourth inning. A walk followed by a double gave the Lady Canes runners on second and third with one out. After intentionally walking the next batter to load the bases, Hop walked Mackenzie Macfarland to allow Georgia Southwestern State to tie the game at one; however, she was able to limit the damage by forcing a pop-out and a strikeout.
The game would remain tied until a solo home run by
Jayla Jackson gave ERAU a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth. She was followed by a
Jamie Mead triple where she scored on an error by the catcher who was unable to handle the throw at the plate.
Hop was replaced by
Elisha Barker in the sixth inning. Barker inherited runners on first and second with two outs. She was able to stop the Georgia Southwestern State rally with a strikeout.
Michy Ramos provided some insurance in the top of the seventh in the form of a solo home run to make the score 4-1. Merixtell Blesa followed her lead by doubling to right-centerfield. Blesa would score on the following play via an error by the shortstop.
The Lady Canes did not go down without a fight in the seventh. They led off the frame with a home-run to cut the ERAU lead to 5-2. The Eagles followed with two quick outs. Georgia Southwestern State rallied with a single, followed by another home run to make it a 5-4 ballgame. Hop reentered for Barker in the circle to close out the game. She allowed the tying run to make it to second base but forced a groundout to seal the win for ERAU.
Blesa, Jackson,
Katy Thompson and
Callie Rodriguez had two hits each for the Eagles. Hop finished with six innings pitched. She gave up one earned run on two hits with 10 strikeouts.
ERAU got off to a faster start in its second game against Columbus State. A bases loaded hit by pitch gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead to start the contest.
Mariana Pereira's RBI single made it a 2-0 ballgame in the third inning.
Jackson followed up Hop's impressive start with one of her own. The junior allowed one hit in her first three innings of work. An error would make the ERAU 3-0 in the fourth. The Cougars got on the board in the fifth inning thanks to two singles and a sacrifice fly; however, Jackson limited the damage to one run.
A bases-loaded walk increased the Blue and Gold's lead to 4-1 before the seventh inning. Hop, who pitched the last two innings in relief, allowed runners to reach first and second in the seventh, but they were stranded after a game-ending strikeout. Hop earned her first save of the season.
Jackson allowed one earned run and five hits with four strikeouts in five innings pitched. The Eagles led in all fourteen innings played today.
ERAU will wrap up the Cougar Classic tomorrow in a rematch with Georgia Southwestern State. First pitch will take place at 10 a.m. as the Eagles seek to go undefeated in the tournament.
