DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle softball team raced out to a first inning lead and didn't look back Friday night, as the Eagles picked up the win in their Sunshine State Conference opener against Lynn at the ERAU Softball Stadium.
 
The Eagles (4-2, 1-0) scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to give starting pitcher Jayla Jackson an early lead. Katy Thompson started the scoring with an RBI single to centerfield to score Lisa hop, who reached on a one-out walk, and advance ReAnne Drayton to third after she reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. On the play, Fighting Knights centerfielder Mackenzie Wyatt misplayed the ball, and allowed it to roll all the way to the fence. Drayton scored after initially being held up at third, and Thompson managed to come all the way around to score and make it 3-0 in favor of the Eagles. The final run of the inning would cross on a bases loaded infield single by Savannah Brockenbrough to score Jamie Mead to make it a 4-0 game.
 
The Blue & Gold would add another run in the second inning, as Hop would be forced home when Michy Ramos drew a bases loaded walk to make it a 5-0 contest.
 
Lynn (6-5, 0-1) struggled to get anything going on offense for most of the ballgame, being held to just four hits. The Fighting Knights scored their only run of the contest in the third inning, when Grasy Gomez doubled off the wall in right center to score Kayla Sheffield after she reached on a one-out single. 
 
The Eagles would plate a trio of runs with two outs in the fourth inning. After a pair of popouts began the inning, Thompson singled to center for the second time in the game. Mead would follow by drawing a walk, and Ramos would follow with a single to center to score Thompson from second. Following a single by Carly Campbell for her first collegiate hit to load the bases, Brockenbrough would be hit by a pitch to bring in Mead. With pinch hitter Lauren Latoria at the plate, a wild pitch from Saviskas allowed Ramos to sprint home from third to make it an 8-1 contest and conclude scoring for the evening.
 
Jackson (2-1) picked up the win, as she went the distance, giving up one run on four hits, while striking out eight against two walks. Maggie Scott and Thompson both recorded two hits, and Ramos drove in a pair of runs. Seven different Eagles recorded a base hit in the contest.
 
Sheffield (2-2) was tagged for the loss, surrendering five runs, three earned, on six hits in just 1 2/3 innings of work. Amelia Saviskas worked 4 1/3 innings in relief of Sheffield, allowing three runs on three hits and striking out five. Bailey Fernandez and Brittney Davis had the rest of Lynn's four hits in the game.
 
The series will conclude with a doubleheader Saturday at the ERAU Softball Stadium, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.