STAUNTON, Va. – After more than a week since their last game, the Royals made the short trek south to Staunton for a Friday doubleheader with Mary Baldwin.

The Royals took game one, 6-0, behind a gem from Natalye Graham in the circle, before tying game two with the Fighting Squirrels, 6-6.

EMU vs Mary Baldwin – Game One

Records: EMU 5-4, 0-0 ODAC | Mary Baldwin 6-5, 0-0 USA South

Highlights

• The Royals took an early lead, plating a pair of runs in the first. Reese Rogers reached on an error and moved to third on a double from Kaitlyn Fletcher. Both scored on a single by Samantha Hensley.
• EMU added to their lead in the second when Rogers singled in Emerson Adkins, giving the Royals a 3-0 lead.
• Grace Fravel led off the third with a homerun, her second of the year, and Rogers picked up her second RBI in the fourth with a sac fly.
• Graham, who had been perfect through three and two-thirds, gave up her first hit with two outs in the fourth. But she picked up a fly out to keep EMU in the driver's seat.
• EMU picked up their final run of the game in the sixth when Hensley singled, plating Madi Armentrout. The Fighting Squirrels were able to get two runners on in the seventh, one on a single and one on a walk, before Graham sat the final three batters down in order for the complete game win.

Statistical Leaders

Graham:  CG, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Hensley: 2-4, 3 RBI

Rogers: 1-3, 2 RBI

EMU vs Mary Baldwin – Game Two

Records: EMU 5-4-1, 0-0 ODAC | Mary Baldwin 6-5-1, 0-0 USA South

Highlights

• Things got off to a rocky start for Fletcher, who got the start in the circle for the Royals. She gave up four runs without recording an out. Grace Fravel came in in relief and gave up a pair of runs as MBU took a 6-0 lead after one.
• The Royals started chipping away at the Fighting Squirrels lead in the second. With one out, three straight singles from Becca Boone, Taylor Umberger and Autumn Bailey loaded the bases. Carsen Brake reached on an error with Boone and Umberger scoring. That was followed up by an Armentrout single, scoring Gracie Conner, who was pinch running for Bailey, making the score 6-3. Brake later scored, cutting the Royals deficit to two.  
• In the fourth, Bailey hit a solo homerun to pull EMU within one before the top of the fifth when they tied things on another RBI by Bailey, this time scoring Fravel.
• In the bottom of the fifth, with just one out, Mary Baldwin loaded the bases with the winning run on third. There was an attempt to score on a flyout to left field, but Fletcher came up throwing and hosed the runner at the plate to secure the tie.

Statistical Leaders

Bailey: 3-3, HR, 2 RBI, R

What's Next

EMU will return to Gehman Field on Wednesday when they welcome the Green Terror of McDaniel. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2 pm.

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