The bitter cold didn’t faze, and somehow didn’t freeze the women’s softball team on Saturday, March 29.Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) came to town with an impressive, undefeated conference record and was looking to pounce on the Quakers. But the lady-Quakers were optimistic.

“Our coach told us to be mentally prepared for the game and to fight through the cold,” said outfielder Sam Golley.

From the start, the Quakers filled the gaps with line drives and crowded the bases with runners.

After first-year Charissa Duncan scored off Kelly Guarnieri’s fly ball to centerfield, junior Kelly Hale stepped to the plate.

Hale took a couple Babe Ruth-like warm-up swings as intimidation, and then looked for a pitch to blast. And she found it.

Mirroring the Babe’s 1932 World Series home run, Hale’s hit sailed over the centerfield wall for a two-run homerun and a 3-0 lead.

Slowly but surely the Royals made their way back into the game, responding to the Quakers’ productive first inning with a run of their own in both the second and third innings.

The next two innings, pitcher and sophomore DeNina Eldridge held EMU scoreless on three hits, but the Quakers too were unable to put together any runs.

Beginning the seventh inning, the game was tied at three.

Eldridge continued her solid outing on the mound, which included five strikeouts. The seventh would prove to be her finest.

“I just love to watch her play,” said Coach Dennis Shores. “She is a great competitor and always gives you 110 percent.”

Eldridge’s heat was nearly untouchable. It was as if the first two batters were waiving car antennas at a marble. They both struck out swinging.

An EMU scoreless seventh inning gave the Quakers the right-of-way to victory.

In the bottom of the inning, Guarnieri started a one-out rally with a ground ball base hit. First-year Ami Hutcherson followed with a walk, which left the game in the hands of Sam Golley.

Failing to reach base on her previous at bats, Golley stepped up to the plate looking for redemption.

First, she looked at ball one.

“Well they changed the pitcher,” Golley said. “So I went up there with an open mind knowing that anything can happen.”

Quickly Golley found herself in a hole, with a 1-2 count.

EMU pitcher Natasha Viafora thought she had Golley right where she wanted her, but Golley didn’t panic.

One swing of the bat left Viafora watching and the outfield running.

With Hutcherson on second, Coach Shores didn’t hesitate to wave her home for the winning run.

Golley’s RBI (run batted in) gave the Quakers the victory.

“I was happy that I could come through for the team,” Golley said. “I was just excited that we won the game.”

The second game of the double header didn’t favor the Quakers as they lost 8-7 in extra innings. But other teams should consider Saturday’s games a message.

“When we play our game we can compete with anyone,” Shores said. “It’s just discipline in the girls doing their job.