Softball Splits with Emmanuel in Home-Opener Sunday

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Emmanuel in the first home games of the 2022 season, triumphing 7-1 before falling 11-10 Sunday afternoon at Mitchell/McCoy Field.

The Lions progress to 6-12 on the year with the results while the Saints move to 5-9 overall.

Darcy Castro (Garden Grove, Calif.) notched five hits, three RBIs, and scored one run. Taylor Brandt (Napa, Calif.) finished with four base knocks, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Aurora Adams (Fullerton, Calif.) posted six hits, four runs scored, and one RBI. Kiley Ozaki (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) chipped in with two hits, two RBIs, and a pair of runs scored.

In game one, Eastern Nazarene raced past Emmanuel 7-1.

The home side snagged a 1-0 edge with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Ozaki tagged up and motored home from third base as Jennelle Munoz (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) lifted a sacrifice fly to right field.

The Lions tallied three runs in the third to widen the gap to 4-0. Castro raked a single to centerfield to drive in Brandt from second base. Adams crossed the dish as Ozaki reached on a fielder's choice and Alex Schwenger (Danville, Calif.) followed with an RBI base knock to plate Bailey Olaveson (Lakeside, Calif.).

Eastern Nazarene produced three runs in the fourth frame to stretch its advantage to 7-0. Alexys Giddings (Kuna, Idaho) scampered home as Ashley Caldwell (Quincy, Mass.) reached on an error. Castro hoisted a sacrifice fly to right field to knock in Caldwell before Olaveson laced a single to left field to score Adams.

The visitors got on the board in the top of the fifth, scoring once to cut the deficit to 7-1. Amanda Penney scurried home from third base on an infield hit by Julyanne Pacheco.

In the pitcher's circle, Munoz tossed a complete game and recorded three strikeouts.

Emmanuel edged Eastern Nazarene 11-10 in the nightcap to secure a split.

The Saints rattled off four runs in the top of the first inning to capture a 4-0 lead. Tianna Dawe tripled to centerfield to drive in Olivia Conti and Avery Webb. Abigail Farr followed with a base knock to plate Dawe before scoring on a single up the middle by Grace Orcutt.

The Lions responded with a run in the bottom of the frame to narrow the gap to 4-1. Brandt led off the inning with a scoreboard-busting solo home run.

Emmanuel tacked on four runs in the second to extend its advantage to 8-1.

Eastern Nazarene chalked up three runs in the home half of the second inning to pull to within four, 8-4. Castro, Olaveson, and Ozaki all picked up RBIs as Caldwell, Brandt, and Castro all crossed the dish.

The guests produced two runs in the third to take a 10-4 lead.

The home team plated one run in the fourth inning to trim the margin to 10-5. Adams belted her first home run of the spring, a solo shot to leadoff the frame.

Eastern Nazarene rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to level the contest at 10-10. Adams and Ashley Mieses (Bronx, N.Y.) both crossed the dish as Schwenger reached first base on an error. With the bases full, Giddings landed an RBI single in right field to plate Ozaki. Brandt delivered a two-out single to drive in Munoz and Schwenger to tie the game.

The Saints responded with the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh to seize an 11-10 edge as Renae Lacroix scampered home from third base on a passed ball.

Chelsea De Martini (Budd Lake, N.J.) pitched 1.2 innings before Munoz worked 5.1 innings of relief.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene heads to Salve Regina April 5.