THE BASICS 

Game One Score: Emerson 5, Bluffton 0

Game Two Score: Emerson 3, Nichols 2

Game One Pitching Decision: W - Calli Pratt (2-0) | L - Hayley Lewis (0-1)

Game Two Pitching Decision: W - Jessica Gomez | L  - Alyssa Ouellette (0-1)

Records: Emerson Lions (5-2) ; Bluffton Beavers (3-6) ; Nichols Bison (0-2) 

Location: Clermont, Fla. (Hancock Field)

Date: March 11, 2022

The Lead: In the final day of Spring Break 2022, the Emerson softball team picked up a sweep with victories over Bluffton and Nichols on Friday afternoon. The Lions started their day off with a 5-0 shutout win over the Beavers and held on to edge out the Bison, 3-2, in the nightcap. 

GAME ONE 

EMERSON 5, BLUFFTON 0 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

EMERSON

Makenzie Killough: 3-3, two RBI & stolen base 
Sam Zannotti: 2-3, two runs scored & two stolen bases 
Lexi Semanchik & Pratt: one RBI

PITCHING

Pratt (W, 2-0) - 7.0 innings pitched, three hits and eight punch outs 

BLUFFTON

Kryshel Dales: 2-3, double
Madison Jones: 1-3

PITCHING

Hayley Lewis (L, 0-1) - 4.0 innings pitched, five hits, five runs (two earned), one walk & one strikeout
Erin Norman: 2.0 innings pitched, one hit & two strikeouts 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Emerson spread all five of its runs within the first two frames as Pratt held down the Bluffton bats to keep the game scoreless. The Lions plated three runs in the first frame and added another pair in the second. 
• Semanchik sent the first Emerson run home when she rocketed a single up the middle to cross Zannotti for the 1-0 lead.  
• Still with no outs in the inning, Killough batted in the second Lions' run on another RBI single up the middle as the Purple and Gold's lead was upped to 2-0. 
• Sophomore Claire Overton reached on a drop third strike and allowed Pratt to cross home the third run of the inning on the wild pitch with Emerson now ahead, 3-0. 
• A one-out RBI grounder by Pratt followed by Killough's second RBI put two more Emerson runs across as the Lions held the 5-0 advantage over Bluffton. 
• After allowing a double to Dales in the second, Pratt was lights out and retired the Bluffton bats in order for the next four innings. 
• In the top of the sixth, the Beavers reached base for the first time since the second inning on an miscue by Emerson. The Lions got a key defensive double play and erased the Beavers' scoring changes to preserve the shutout. 
• The defense went to work once again and erased Dale's infield single as the inning ended on an interference call at second base to lock up the 5-0 win. 

GAME TWO 

EMERSON 3, NICHOLS 2 

EMERSON 

Pratt: 2-4, double, one run scored & one RBI
Killough: 2-3
Ally Lacey: 1-3, one RBI
Semanchik, Mary Kuczkowski & Carly Rosenberger: one hit

PITCHING

Gomez - 5.2 innings pitched, five hits, one run, four walks & six strikeouts
Pratt - 1.1 innings pitched, one hit, one run & four strikeouts

NICHOLS 

Five with one hit
Samantha Kostek: 1-3, one RBI & one stolen base
Lilly Fangel: 1-1, one RBI
Allie Brown: one stolen base & one run scored
Mackenzie Jackson: one stole base

PITCHING

Alyssa Ouellette (L, 0-1) - 5.1 innings pitched, seven hits, three runs (two earned) & two strikeouts
Chelsea Indyk - 1.2 innings pitched, one hit & one walk

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Defense and strong pitching from both teams put zeros on the board for the first three innings before Emerson broke through in its half of the fourth frame. 
• In the home half of the fourth, a costly miscue by the catcher allowed Semanchik to race home to give Emerson the 1-0 advantage. 
• It was in the sixth that Emerson crossed home twice more. Pratt's RBI double started off the inning to bring in Semanchik for the 2-0 lead over Nichols. Now with runners on first and third, Lacey laced a single up the middle as Pratt plated the third Lions run for the 3-0 advantage. 
• Nichols responded in their part of the sixth and cut the Emerson lead down to 3-1 on Fangel's infield RBI single to short. 
• Emerson threatened for more in the seventh with runners on second and third, but a grounder to the pitcher ended any scoring hopes with the score still at 3-1. 
• Kostek welcomed Pratt into the game and batted a one-out RBI single up the middle to bring Nichols within one at 3-2. Kostek stole second, but was stranded as Pratt tossed a pair of punch outs to lock up the 3-2 Emerson victory. 

UP NEXT 

• Emerson opens its 2022 home schedule next Thursday, March 17th as they welcome Bates for a 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. twin-bill.