Emory Softball Run at Perfection Ends Versus DePauw

Perhaps the best way to make a fourth run at a national title is to have a perfect season. However, while softball team’s run at perfection is no longer an option; the dream of hoisting a championship trophy is still a possibility.

Emory, which is ranked No. 1 in the polls, reeled off 26 wins in a row before falling to No. 8-ranked DePawu College, 7-6, Thursday in the opening of a doubleheader.

The Eagles led 6-5 heading into the top of seventh, but the Tigers posted a two-run four-hit inning to give Emory its first defeat of the year.  

In the nightcap, the teams played to a 9-9 tie when the game was suspended after 10 innings due to darkness. Emory’s record now stands at 26-1-1.

Despite suffering their first setback of the season, the Eagles have dominated their opponents, winning games almost effortlessly.

Other than a 1-0 win against Birmingham-Southern on Feb. 27, Emory has made it a habit of crossing home plate on multiple occasions. The Eagles have put up 210 runs in 28 games, while holding their opponents to a mere 42. They’ve knocked in 27 home runs, which ties a school record set in 2009, while only allowing five by their opposition.

Emory’s pitchers have combined for 11 shutouts so far this season behind the tandem of junior Bridget Holloway and freshman Lena Brottman. Holloway leads the team with a 14-1 record. She’s pitched 83 innings with 49 strikeouts and just three walks. Her counterpart Brottman is 11-0 and has struck out 63 batters in 75 innings. Their dominance at the mound is one of the main reasons why why Emory enjoy much success in 2011.

“Bridget and Lena have a tremendous amount of respect for each other,” said Eagles head coach Penny Siqueiros. “Yet they still want to out-compete one another to push one another to be the best of the duo.  I love it because it’s a friendly competitive relationship built on respect.  Therefore, it enhances their abilities in preparation for their competition.”

But with a team as good as Emory, pitching isn’t its only strength. The Eagles are a well-balanced group and their offensive production has put a dent on the scoreboard. Although it’s been a collective effort at the plate, currently, no one is swinging a hotter bat than freshman Megan Light.

Light batted a scorching .667 last week, with eight hits in 12 appearances at the plate. She had a team-high 10 RBIs in four games, which included three doubles, one triple and one homer while also scoring five runs. During the doubleheader sweep of Covenant College on March 17, she was five-for-six with seven RBIs in the early game and three for three in the nightcap with a solo homer.

“Megan, simply speaking, loves competition,” Siqueiros said. “She absolutely loves challenges. She gets excited thinking about the next opportunity to compete.”

Although the squad came up short in Thursday’s games, Siqueiros firmly believes that in order for her team to perform at its best, they must be mentally prepared and have an unyielding desire for success each time the play.

“We want to win what every other team in the nation wants to win,” she said. “Yet we aspire to want it more.”

Emory looks to return back to its winning ways when it plays host to Berry College in a Saturday matinée doubleheader. Game times are slated for 12 noon and 2 p.m.