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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

O'Sullivan_020324_594A4429
Cornnell Chu
6
West Ga. UWG 11-16
8
Winner Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 19-11
West Ga. UWG
11-16
6
Final
8
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB
19-11
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
West Ga. UWG 0 0 0 1 0 4 1 6 6 5
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 2 0 0 0 6 0 X 8 7 5

W: Morse, Shelby (7-5) L: M. Thompson (1-3)

0
West Ga. UWG 11-17
10
Winner Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 20-11
West Ga. UWG
11-17
0
Final
10
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB
20-11
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
West Ga. UWG 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 1 0 4 5 X 10 10 0

W: Kinahan, Mallory (7-3) L: K. Leonard (1-2)

Game Recap: Softball | | Kyrin Mayfield | @k_mayfield97

Bats Explode in Softball’s Sweep of West Georgia

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - After a tough series last weekend against No. 4 Tampa, the Embry-Riddle softball team took out its aggression on West Georgia on Tuesday at Radiology Associates Field. The Eagles (20-11) combined for 18 runs and 17 hits over two games to beat the Wolves 8-6 and 10-0 in the third and fourth installments of the all-time series. 

Everyone in the lineup produced at the plate, but most notably, Emma Wood went a combined 4-for-5 with two runs and four RBIs, Raissa Bianco scored four times with three hits, Lauren Latoria produced four RBIs in a single game, and Katriana Bain patiently drew five walks on the day.


GAME 1 | Embry-Riddle - 8, West Georgia - 6

Despite entering the series 12th in the NCAA II in runs per game, the West Georgia (11-17) offense didn't phase starting pitcher Shelby Morse (and Mallory Kinahan in game two). The sophomore kept the Wolves in check with just one hit allowed in the first three innings. 

This allowed the Eagles to jump out to a 2-0 lead when a walk issued to Bianco and a single from Kerry O'Sullivan allowed Wood to launch a pitch to right for a two-RBI base hit in the bottom of the first. 

Though UWG threatened in both the second and third innings by putting a runner in scoring position, Morse used a strikeout to record the final out on both occasions to leave the runners stranded, including a 12-pitch battle to end the top of the third. 

Then in the fourth, two singles and a double got the Wolves on the scoreboard to cut the Blue and Gold's lead to 2-1.

Embry-Riddle's offense then exploded in the fifth. The frame kicked off with a double by Wood, an RBI-triple from Karina Ortiz-Munoz, and an RBI-single by Delaney Morgan. Bain was issued a base on balls, which setup Kelsey Kressler for an RBI double to deep right center. 

Now up 5-1, ERAU continued to pour it on. Mia Macchia laid down a sac bunt that allowed Bain to score from third. The catcher lost control of the ball while trying to tag Bain out at the plate, and Kressler took advantage of the situation to score a seventh run for the Eagles. Another fielding error, this time by the shortstop, gave Macchia the ability to score after moving to third on a passed ball for an 8-1 advantage. 

However, the Wolves answered back with a bases-clearing double in the sixth to get within three at 8-5. A walk and two errors brought the potential game-tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh. Though a run did score, Ava Domenici got the next two batters to ground out before Kressler caught a foul ball to end the game. 

Wood recorded the only multi-hit effort on the team (2-for-3, 2 RBIs) but five other Eagles recorded hits. 

In a race to break the single-season program record, Ortiz-Munoz tied Morgan for the team lead in triples with her fifth of the season during game one. Both are just two away from setting a program record. It was also the graduate student's eighth of her career, which is tied for the second most all-time. 

Bain became just the twelfth member of the Blue and Gold to receive three walks in a single game. In total, Embry-Riddle was issued seven walks, which ranked tied for the ninth-most in a game in program history. 

As a team, ERAU stole a season-high eight bases, also tied for the second most in a game in the history of the program and the most since 2014. 

Morse (W, 7-5) pitched brilliantly, holding the Wolves to one run on four hits with a single-game season-high six strikeouts over five innings. Domenici saw two innings of relief and rang up one batter. The two combined for seven strikeouts, the most by ERAU pitching in a game in 2024.


GAME 2 | Embry-Riddle - 10, West Georgia - 0

The offensive onslaught continued in game two. After Bianco reached on a fielding error in the first, back-to-back bunt singles from O'Sullivan and Wood brought Bianco in to score the opening run. 

Meanwhile, Kinahan was her usual dominant self. If not for a pair of bunt singles, Kinahan would've had her second no-hitter of the season. She and the Eagle defense kept West Georgia in check all game, preventing the Wolves from even reaching third base. 

A scary situation occurred in the top of the second. Ortiz-Munoz went to field a ball and collided with a Wolf who was running wide left of the baseline. The two remained on the ground for quite some time, but thankfully, both eventually walked off the field. Ortiz-Munoz was seen after the game with a cheerful attitude, indicating the San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico native would be alright. 

As the contest continued, Embry-Riddle put up a four-spot in the third. Again, it was the trio of Bianco, O'Sullivan and Wood who did most of the damage. The first two each recorded a single while the latter drove Bianco in with a double. Leah Oberkehr earned her first RBI of the season on a ground ball to second that brought O'Sullivan in. Morgan walked, and Latoria drove Wood in with a grounder as well. Bain then made the score 5-0 with a single to center to plate Morgan.

That lead doubled in the fourth. A bases-loaded single from Morgan allowed Bianco to touch home. Then Latoria cleared the bases with a double, increasing the lead to 9-0. Kressler followed suit with her second double of the day to score a tenth run. 

Kressler and Bianco teamed up to tally four of the final five outs. The duo turned a pair of inning-ending double plays in the fourth and fifth frames to seal the run-rule win. 

Bianco, O'Sullivan and Wood each tallied two hits. Bianco scored a career high three times while Wood added two runs and two RBIs. Latoria chipped in four RBIs, her second game of the season driving in four or more runs. It gave Latoria 55 for her career, the 10th-most all-time. She also jumped into the top 10 for career starts with 112. 

Morgan also performed well, going 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI. The junior swiped her 22nd and 23rd career bases during the doubleheader, moving into a tie for sixth on the all-time list. 

Wood picked up a double in each game to move into the top-10 on the all time single-season list with 11, which also leads the Sunshine State Conference. 

The Wolves never had a chance with Kinahan in the circle. She tossed a complete game shutout and struck out a trio of batters. The Sayville, New York product's performance advanced her up the all-time lists in multiple categories including shutouts (10, T-2nd), appearances (64, 2nd), wins (30, 3rd), starts (54, 3rd), and complete games (27, 7th). 

In the field, Kressler picked up her 200th career assist, the second most ever by an Eagle.

Conference play resumes with a series at home versus Saint Leo beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. with Youth Softball Night.
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