LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- For the first time in program history, the Covenant softball team defeated traditional powerhouse Emory as the Scots took an 11-6 victory in Thursday's second game of a doubleheader with the visiting Eagles.
Emory won game one, 15-4.
In a series dating back to 2010, Covenant snapped a 19-game losing streak to Emory with the win in game two. Emory, a traditional power in DIII softball and the national runner-up in 2019, was opening its season after a year off due to the pandemic.
The Scots scored 15 runs on 23 hits in the two games combined.
GAME TWO: Covenant 11, Emory 6
An eight-run fifth inning by Covenant opened up a big lead and the Scots held off a potential Emory rally over the final two innings to earn an 11-6 victory in Thursday's second game.
Covenant had 15 hits in the win, including three apiece from Jordan Holman and Taylor Murdock, to notch the win.
The Scots scored twice in the first inning as Holman led off with a triple and later scored on a double steal with Aileen Hill. Faith Manning added an RBI infield single that plated Hill to make it 2-0. In the second, Holman gave Covenant a 3-1 lead with her two-out RBI double.
Trailing 4-3 in the fifth, Covenant erupted for eight runs in the frame. The Scots got to Emory reliever Mackenzie Goldstein and scored all eight runs before recording the first out of the inning. Murdock, Brianna Hill, Diana Muniz, and Holman all had RBI hits in the inning that gave Covenant an 11-4 lead.
Emory (1-1) scored twice in the sixth, but Scots starter Lauren Kierpa limited the damage in that inning. Kierpa (6-7) then finished off her eighth complete-game of the year with a scoreless seventh inning to seal the win.
Kierpa struck out five in the circle and was 1-for-4 with a run scored at the plate.
Brianna Hill was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Vanessa Davis went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Aileen Hill, Tori Layfield, and Manning all had a hit apiece.
Krista Colussi was 3-for-3 with an RBI for Emory. Goldstein (0-1) got the loss in the circle, while starter Madison Schaefer went six innings.
GAME ONE: Emory 15, Covenant 4
Covenant had a 4-0 lead through two innings, but Emory's offense awoke as the visiting Eagles scored 15 unanswered runs to end the game and take a 15-4 victory in Thursday's opener.
All four of Covenant's runs came in the second inning and with two outs. Holman singled home pinch-runner Bailey Johnson and Vanessa Davis followed with a three-run homer to left field to make it 4-0. The homer was Davis' second of the year and the second straight game she had homered.
Emory responded with four in the third to even the score. The Eagles then scored twice in the fifth and once in the sixth before opening up a big lead with an eight-run seventh inning.
Davis went 1-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs, while Holman was 2-for-4. Holman extended her hitting streak to nine games with hits in both contests on Thursday. Kierpa also had two hits in two at-bats.
Kierpa (5-7) got the loss in the circle after tossing 3.2 innings of relief. Schaefer (1-0) went the distance for Emory withs even strikeouts.
Mattie Ryan was 5-for-5 and Tyler Miller was 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs to lead the 20-hit attack for Emory.
UP NEXT
Covenant will open USA South play on Saturday at Brevard. Game one is set for 1 p.m.
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