PEMBROKE, N.C. – The Erskine College softball team (6-17, 2-5 CC) lost both games of a doubleheader against the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (15-9, 4-4 CC) at the UNCP Softball Field on Saturday afternoon. A walk-off home run gave the Braves a 7-5 win in Game 1 before UNC Pembroke took Game 2 by a score of 14-6.
 
THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Saturday marked the first ever meetings between the teams.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: UNC Pembroke 7-5 Erskine
UNC Pembroked jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after the first three innings, but once again the Fleet rallied late and refused to go down easily. Aly Salois got Erskine on the board in the fifth inning with a two-run single, which meant the Fleet trailed 5-2 going into their final at-bat. Hailey Watson led off the inning with a pinch-hit single before Katie Hunter and Anna Taylor drew walks to load the bases with nobody out. Kelci Brown drove in a run on a fielder's choice before Maddie Ingram delivered with a massive two-run double as Erskine came from five runs behind to tie the game at 5 and send the game into the bottom of the seventh. A walk-off two-run home run in the bottom half from the Braves gave them a 7-5 victory.

GAME 2: UNC Pembroke 14-6 Erskine (Final / 5 innings)
Coming off a heartbreaking loss in Game 1, the Fleet struggled early as UNC Pembroke led 6-0 after just one inning. Erskine got two runs back in the second inning on an RBI fielder's choice from Anna Taylor and a run-scoring double from Kenzie Eagleman. The Braves got a run back in the next half inning, but Erskine continued to claw its way back by tacking on more runs in the fourth inning. Eagleman hit an RBI single before Peyton Rabon launched her second home run in as many days, this one a monster three-run home run as the Fleet got within just one run, trailing 7-6. But, UNC Pembroke scored a run in the bottom half of the fourth before a six-spot in the fifth inning ended the game due to a run rule with the Braves leading 14-6.

THE PLAYER
At the bottom of the Erskine order in Game 2, Kenzie Eagleman had a perfect day at the plate with an RBI double in the second inning and a run-scoring single in the fourth in her two official at-bats in the game.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine stays on the road for another doubleheader in conference play when they take on Belmont Abbey College (14-7, 1-3 CC) on Tuesday afternoon with Game 1 starting at 1:00 p.m. The Crusaders won all three meetings with the Fleet last season.

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