MACON, Ga. – Day two of the Heart of Georgia Classic saw the University of Evansville softball team put up a pair of strong efforts in a pair of losses by a combined three runs. The Purple Aces battled North Carolina A&T in a 9-inning 7-6 contest to open play before coming up just short in a 4-2 decision to Mercer.
 
Game 1 – NC A&T 7, UE 6 (9 innings) | Box Score
 
Saturday's opener saw the Purple Aces answer every shot taken by North Carolina A&T. The Aggies opened the scoring with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the first. Evansville came right back to tie the game in the second with a pair of unearned runs. Niki Bode scored UE's first run of the day on an error while Emma McDonald tied the score when she scored on a wild pitch.
 
Kate Ridgway kept the Aggies off the board until the bottom of the fifth when a single run put them back in front. One inning later, it was Eliza Piggott who knotted the score with a solo home run. It was her second long ball of the year. Riding the momentum from the game-tying run, the Aces took their first lead in the top of the seventh when Morgan Adams scored on a NC A&T error. Unfortunately, the Aggies came through with the tying run in the bottom of the seventh on a 2-out single.
 
Heading into the 8^th, it was Evansville regaining the lead when Taylor Howe came through with a go-ahead 2-out single to bring in Brooke Voss. North Carolina A&T matched the run to send the game into the 9^th frame. Morgan Adams' sacrifice fly plated Addyson Leonard to give UE a 6-5 advantage as the contest headed to the bottom of the 9^th. With two outs, a single by the Aggies tied the game before a walk-off double gave them the 7-6 win.
 
UE completed the game with eight hits as Jess Willsey went 2-4 while adding a walk. Six different players scored a run in a balanced offensive attack. Ridgway threw five innings with three runs scoring. She struck out seven batters. Gracie Hollingsworth went the final 3 2/3 innings with four runs, two earned, crossing the plate.
 
Game 2 – Mercer 4, UE 2 | Box Score
 
One day after the teams combined to score 30 runs, Evansville and Mercer battled once again with a 2-run fifth inning by the Bears proving to be the difference. Evansville scored the opening run of the game when a groundout by Maliyah Wilkins brought in Taylor Howe in the top of the first. Single runs by Mercer in the 2^nd and 4^th frames gave them a 2-1 edge.
 
Continuing a strong day at the plate, Howe helped the Aces tie the score at 2-2 in the top half of the fifth. Emma McDonald reached on a 1-out walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Howe came through with a double to center field to knot the score.
 
The Bears came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to regain a 4-2 lead. Evansville did its best to fight back as Morgan Adams reached on a single in the 6^th while McDonald added a single in the 7^th, however, the Bears avoided any further damage to take the win.
 
In her first start of the season, Alexis Tucker threw 4 2/3 innings with four runs, three earned, scoring by Mercer. She allowed seven hits while striking out three batters. Sophia Otten threw a scoreless 1 1/3 frames and gave up two hits. UE accumulated seven hits with Howe going a perfect 3-3 with a run and RBI. Adams added two hits.
 
Opening weekend wraps up Sunday with a 9 a.m. CST contest against Maine.