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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

Walk_Off_020924_IMG_0556
McKenna Wines
6
Winner West Ala. UWA 4-1
3
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 3-2
Winner
West Ala. UWA
4-1
6
Final
3
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB
3-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
West Ala. UWA 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 6 6 2
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 5 2

W: E. Block (2-0) L: Morse, Shelby (1-1) S: M. Wright (1)

4
Valdosta St. VSU 2-3
5
Winner Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 4-2
Valdosta St. VSU
2-3
4
Final
5
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB
4-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Valdosta St. VSU 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 4 5 2
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 5 6 2

W: Kinahan, Mallory (1-1) L: S. Ray (0-2)

Game Recap: Softball | | Kyrin Mayfield | @k_mayfield97

Morse Seals Softball’s First-Ever Victory Against Blazers With Walk-Off Hit; Eagles Also Fall To Tigers 6-3

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Shelby Morse sent Eagle fans home happy on Friday as the sophomore's first collegiate hit was a two-RBI walk-off single that helped Embry-Riddle softball steal a 5-4 win from Valdosta State to open up the Embry-Riddle Invitational. ERAU was down by three runs heading into the sixth inning, but the Eagles managed to score twice in each of the final two frames to come from behind and win, tying for the eighth largest comeback in program history. The Blue and Gold also lost to West Alabama 6-3 earlier in the day.
 

West Alabama - 6, Embry-Riddle - 3

In the first meeting between the Eagles and Tigers since 2018, Embry-Riddle got off to a promising start. After getting out of a jam in the top of the first when West Alabama juiced the bases, the Eagles wasted little time to strike. Mia Macchia singled and advanced to third on an errant throw by the Tigers' third basewoman, putting her in prime position to score on a deep sac fly to center by Emma Wood. 

Starting pitcher Shelby Morse managed to keep UWA hitless over the next two innings, but a collision leading to a dropped fly ball in the fourth eventually led to six runs on three singles and a three-run blast, putting the Blue and Gold behind 6-1. 

The sacrifice fly was the Eagles' best friend in this contest. In the bottom half of the inning, Lauren Latoria and Delaney Morgan reached base to begin the inning and Karina Ortiz-Munoz loaded the bases after getting clipped by a pitch. Katriana Bain and Kelsey Kressler then provided the second and third runs with sac flies, marking just the fourth time in program history the Eagles recorded three sac flies in a game. The deficit shrunk to just three runs at 6-3.

Wood entered the circle after and shut out West Alabama with three no-hit innings, but the offense was unable to close the gap. ERAU attempted to mount a comeback in the bottom of the sixth when Gianna Domenici entered as a pinch hitter and recorded her first collegiate hit, but no runs were able to be added. 

It was a successful day at the plate for Wood as well, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and her Sunshine State Conference-leading fifth double of the season. 

Morse lasted four innings in her start, and though six runs came across to score, none of them were earned. 
 

Embry-Riddle - 5, Valdosta State - 4

It took seven tries, but the Blue and Gold finally pulled one over on the Blazers, and it couldn't have been any more dramatic. 

A pair of walks combined with a single up the middle had the Eagles down 1-0 after the top of the first. However, it wasn't long until the home team responded as Karina Ortiz-Munoz smashed the team's first home run of the season to deep left to tie the game 1-1. It moved her into sole possession of eighth on the program's all-time list with five.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived when the Blazers used their own solo shot to center in the top of the third to make it a 2-1 ballgame in favor of the visitors. Then in the fifth, a fielding error allowed VSU to tack on an additional two runs, putting ERAU behind 4-1. 

Freshman Addison Orr notched her first collegiate hit in the bottom of the fifth. The Eagles managed to get a pair of runners in scoring position, but a play at the plate on a bunt for the final out thwarted ERAU's opportunity to score. 

Mallory Kinahan entered in relief in the top of the sixth, and she appeared to be in top form as the junior struck out a pair of Blazers to leave two stranded in scoring position. 

A half inning later, Wood ignited a spark with her first long ball of 2024, and Morgan made it a one-run game when she tripled and then scored on a wild throw to third base, making the score 4-3. 

Valdosta State went down in order in the seventh, giving the Eagles a chance in the bottom of the inning. Raissa Bianco came on to pinch hit, and she began the inning with a double to left. Bain walked to put the winning run on base, though Isabelle Bonn entered to pinch run. A groundout advanced both runners to second and third with two outs, setting up Morse for the game-winning two-RBI single up the middle, the 29th walk-off win in program history. 

Six different Eagles recorded a hit, four of which went for extra bases. Solo home runs by Ortiz-Munoz and Wood, who has gotten a hit in every game this season, led to 1-for-3 lines with a run and an RBI. Bianco, Morse, and Orr each recorded hits as successful pinch hitters, and Morgan's hit was a triple that later led to a run scored. 

Ava Domenici got the nod in the circle and lasted five innings. She gave up four runs, only two of which were earned, on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Kinahan then pitched two hitless innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts as well to earn her first win of the season and 24th of her career, tying her for the seventh most by an Eagle in a career. 

Also of note, 17 putouts by Ortiz-Munoz on the afternoon moved her into second on the program's all-time list with 602, trailing only Katy Thompson's 749.

Embry-Riddle takes Saturday off before returning on Sunday for a rematch with the Tigers at 11 a.m. and the Blazers at 3 p.m.
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