SALEM --- Roanoke held off an upset-minded Eastern Mennonite, 7-5 in the winner's bracket game of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Softball Tournament at Moyer Complex Friday evening.  The Maroons improve to 27-9 on the season, and will advance to the winner's bracket finale of the double-elimination tournament Saturday afternoon.

This marks the second win in the ODAC Tournament for Roanoke, which is the most since the 2006 team en route to the programs' seventh conference title.  The Maroons have won 13 of their last 15 games, with three of those coming against the Royals.

Stephanie Clark (4-1) earned the win for the Maroons, going four complete innings with three strikeouts and scattered four hits.  She did well at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run, an RBI and two runs.  Kelly Higbie went 2-for-4 with a run while going three innings in the no decision effort.

Roanoke opened the second game of the day the same as the first, with a 3-0 lead after their first at bat. The first run came without a hit off a leadoff walk by Leona Rainey, stole second and advanced home on a fielder's choice groundball by Hollee Warlitner.  A two-out triple by Caitlin Manuel and another run off a fielding error ended the big inning for the Maroons.

Clark hit a solo shot over the left field fence to make it, 4-0 in the fourth.  In the top of the fifth, the Maroons produced a small ball run to extend their lead to, 5-0.  The seemingly comfortable lead was dashed as the Royals mounted a five-run inning to tie the ballgame.

In the sixth with the Maroons on their heels, the women kept their poise as Clark led off with a walk and Manuel bunted her over to bring up Felice Lowery.  The senior captain delivered with an RBI-double to score Clark to regain the lead, 6-5.

 After a three-up, three-down inning with just over five pitches thrown, another senior leader came through in the clutch to tack on an insurance run.  With runners on the corners with two outs, fellow senior captain Katherine Kouri smacked an RBI-single to centerfield to score Higbie and make it, 7-5.  The defense held off the strong bats from EMU (26-12) in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win and drop the Royals into the loser's bracket.

The Maroons will be the home team for the winner's bracket finale of the ODAC Tournament.  They will host Bridgewater at 2 p.m. at the Moyer Complex.  With a win, the women will advance to the conference championship round on Sunday.  If they lose, they will drop into the loser's bracket and will play at 8 p.m. Saturday night.