ATLANTA, Ga. — Averett University softball edged Rhodes College 10-9 in extra innings, then fell 7-0 to No. 4 Emory University to finish play at the 3n2 Elite Invitational Sunday.
 
Senior Jessica Long's 4-for-5 day at the plate helped spark Averett (3-1) to an eight-inning win over Rhodes (3-4) to start the day. Long broke an 8-8 tie in the eighth inning with her RBI double. She later scored on an illegal pitch for a much-needed insurance run.
 
Rhodes trimmed the deficit to one in the bottom half of the inning on Kayla Rose's RBI single, but Averett freshman right-hander Kaitlyn Aherron got Caroline Sutton to line into a game-ending double play to preserve the win.
 
After each team traded a run in the first inning, the Cougars went ahead 3-1 in the top of the second on an RBI triple by sophomore Taylor Hodges and an RBI double by Long. Yet, Rhodes answered with a four-run rally in the bottom half of the frame to jump in front 5-3.
 
Averett retook the lead in the fourth with a big two-out rally. An error allowed one run to score, and Long and Aherron provided RBI singles to propel the Cougars to a 6-5 advantage. The Cougars tacked on two more runs in the fifth to go ahead by three. However, the Lynx cut that margin to two with a run in the sixth and tied it thanks to an RBI double and an error in the seventh inning to force extra innings.
 
Long finished with three RBIs and three runs scored, while Hodges had two RBIs and three runs scored. Freshman Nicole Cauthen went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a pair of walks.
 
Aherron (2-0) went the distance, striking out eight over eight innings.
 
Averett couldn't knock off nationally ranked Emory (3-1) for the second consecutive day in Game 2. The Eagles held the Cougars' offense hitless, allowing just two baserunners on walks.
 
Emory scored seven runs on seven hits, three walks and one error to avenge Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Cougars.
 
Averett travels to play Guilford College on Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.