Franklin Springs. GA – The Emmanuel Softball team opened up conference play with a two-game series against the Shorter University Hawks. The Lions took the early lead in game one, outlasting the Hawks 9-5. Game two got exciting, going 10 innings until Emmanuel's Kelsey Lester hit a walk-off homerun to give the Lions the 9-6 win. With the sweep, the Lions improve to 2-10 on the season. 

GAME ONE
After two scoreless innings, the Lions got on the board in the bottom of the 3^rd. Arlie Gooden started things off with a single. Gilian Price followed that up with a single to advance Gooden to 3^rd. After Price stole 2^nd, Ciara Passmore laced a double to score two runs, giving the Lions the 2-0 lead. A single from Carson Stowe scored Passmore to push the Lions lead to 3-0. 

In the top of the 4^th, the Hawks scored 5 runs on 4 hits to take a 5-3 lead. The Lions answered in the bottom half of the inning. After three walks loaded the bases, Passmore singled to score Jacie McCall to make it 5-4, Hawks. A single from Shelby Rinefierd scored two runs to give the Lions the 6-5 lead. Stowe kept things going with a single to score Rinefierd making it 8-5, Lions.

The score stayed that way until the bottom of the 6^th. Ausborn singled and Price reached on an error to score Ausborn, making the score 9-5 Lions. 

At the plate, Carson Stowe went 3-4 with 2 RBIs and Ciara Passmore went 2-3 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored. 

In the circle, Autumn Matherly threw a complete game. She gave up 5 runs on 9 hits, walking 3 batters and striking out 2. 

GAME TWO
 The Lions took an early lead in the bottom of the 1^st. Grae Ausborn walked and Gillian Price singled, but Ausborn was thrown out at 2^nd. A single by Ciara Passmore advanced Price to 2^nd and a walk to Shelby Rinefierd loaded the bases. Carson Stowe singled to score a run, making it 1-0 Lions. Ashley Fountain reached on a fielder's choice, with Passmore getting thrown out at home, but a single by Eliana Cooper scored a run to give the Lions the 2-0 lead. A single by Jacie McCall scored 2 runs to double the Lion's lead, 4-0. 

The Lions added to their lead in the bottom of the 2^nd. Ausborn singled to start off the at-bat and Price followed that up with a hit.  A single by Passmore loaded the bases and Stowe hit a sacrifice fly to score a run, making it 5-0 Lions. 

In the top of the 3^rd, the Hawks got on the board scoring a run on a hit and 2 errors to make it 5-1, Lions.

In the top of the 4^th, the Hawks tacked on another 2 runs on a hit and an error to cut the Lions lead to 5-3.

After a scoreless 5^th, the Hawks added two runs on 4 hits in the top of the 6^th to tie the game at 5-5.

After a scoreless 7^th, the teams headed to extra innings.

The 8^th inning was scoreless, but the Hawks took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 9^th scoring a run on a hit. The Lions answered in the bottom half of the inning. Grace Ausborn was placed on 2^nd and scored on a groundout to tie the game at 6-6. 

In the bottom of 10, Carson Stowe hit a single to advance Dezera Hillery to 3^rd. Kelsey Lester pinch hit for Eliana Cooper and delivered, hitting a walk-off 3 run homerun to make the final score 9-6, Lions.

At the plate, Gillian Price went 3-3, Ciara Passmore went 3-5 with an RBI and Carson Stowe went 2-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

In the circle, Reagan Beagle got the start throwing 6.0 innings. She gave up 5 runs (4 earned) on 10 hits. She walked 3 batters and struck out one. Quinn Overby relieved her to throw 4.0 innings. She gave up a run on 2 hits and walked 4 batters, striking out 5. 

Next up, the Lions will head to Central, SC to face Southern Wesleyan University on Tuesday at 2 & 4PM. 

For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.