The Emmaus High School softball team started last week with back-to-back games, but then had two more postponed due to weather. The Hornets hung on in a close game to defeat Stroudsburg 3-2 last Tuesday, April 8. They followed that the next day with a 12-2 victory over Parkland in five innings.

It was an exciting game with the Mountaineers as Stroudsburg scored a run in the top of the first inning before Emmaus answered and tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Heading to the seventh with the score still tied at 1-1, the Mounties brought one in and were three outs away from the win.

But the Hornets answered in the bottom of the inning. Morgan Schwab and Sydney Bennett singled to start the inning. After a Taylor Hauver walk and a fielder’s choice at the plate that kept the Mounties in front, Abigail Derr delivered a two-run, walk-off double.

Sadie Haefeli and Derr led the offense with two hits each, with Derr adding two RBIs with both hits doubles. Amanda King recorded a hit and an RBI and each of Mari Eiswerth, Avery DeFanti, Bennett and Schwab had one hit.

Eiswerth also recorded the win inside the circle, going the complete game and striking out 12 batters.

In the victory over the Trojans, Emmaus jumped out early and often scoring in every inning.

The Hornets scored four in the first, two in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and ended the game with the mercy rule with a two-run fifth.

Emmaus outhit Parkland 13-6 with a game-high three hits coming from DeFanti, who also had four RBIs. Taylor Hauver, Sophia Tranguch, Haefeli and Derr all contributed two hits with Hauver adding two RBIs. Eiswerth had one hit and two RBIs and won again inside the circle.

Emmaus had a busy week with three games, two in the conference and one nonconference. The Hornets were at Pocono Mountain East Monday and hosted Bethlehem Catholic Tuesday before welcoming Spring-Ford to town on Thursday. They are at Whitehall next Monday.