Tartans Open UAA Play with 4-1 Win at Emory

(ATLANTA, Ga.) - The Carnegie Mellon University softball team pounded out 14 hits on its way to defeat Emory University (10-7, 0-1) by a 4-1 score on Friday, March 25, to open University Athletic Association (UAA) play for both teams. With the win, the Tartans advance to 10-6 for the season.

After losing her hitting streak of 12 games, freshman Libby Eichberger (Aurora, Ill. / Metea Valley) collected three hits in her first UAA game to lead the Tartans. Senior Emily Song (Mount Arlington, N.J. / Roxbury), senior Megan Hu (Katy, Texas / Seven Lakes), and sophomore Kiera Boucher (Ridgewood, N.J. / Ridgewood) each had two hits while junior Emily Finger (Aurora, Ill. / Metea Valley) had two runs batted in.

The Tartans scored in the top of the first inning after Song walked and stole second, later scoring on a single to center field by Hu.

Carnegie Mellon held a 1-0 advantage behind strong pitching from sophomore Amanda Smith (New Cumberland, Pa. / Trinity) and later led 4-0 heading into the seventh inning. 

Smith surrendered three hits and struck out eight batters before senior Amanda Schwartz (Fairfield, N.J. / West Essex Regional) entered in the bottom of the seventh inning. Schwartz allowed two hits and a run but closed out the game with a ground ball out with the bases loaded.

The Tartans scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning with both runs coming off a one-out single down the left-field line by Finger.

Freshman Erika Heffernen (Moorestown, N.J. / Moorestown) led off the top of the sixth inning with a triple and scored when Song doubled.

The Tartans and Eagles resume the four-game series on Saturday, March 26, with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.