Date: Sunday April 19 , 2009
Contact: Robert Dignazio / Sports Information Intern
(804) 752-7387, robertdignazio@rmc.edu

Laura Bauer's Two Homeruns Not Enough for R-MC to Avoid Sweep by Guilford
(Game One Box) / (Game Two Box)

ASHLAND, Va. - Guilford edged Randolph-Macon 3-0 and 8-7 to sweep the Yellow Jackets on Sunday in the final conference games for both squads. R-MC's Laura Bauer hit two homeruns and tallied five RBIs in Game Two.

Game One proved to be a pitcher's duel as R-MC's Courtney Brooks and Guilford's Jessica Burcham shut out their opponents through the first four innings of play. After Burcham retired the Yellow Jackets in order to begin the fifth inning, the Quakers posted three runs on four hits in the bottom of the frame. Both pitchers allowed just one hit apiece in the sixth inning and Burcham retired the R-MC side in the top of the seventh inning to seal the 3-0 victory. The Guilford hurler allowed just three hits and struck out 12 batters to earn the win. Brooks yielded three runs on eight hits in six innings of work while picking up the hard-fought loss.

While Game One featured stellar pitching, Game Two proved to be a high-scoring seesaw affair between the Quakers and Yellow Jackets. R-MC sprinted out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-out, two-run Laura Bauer homerun. Guilford (23-11, 11-5 ODAC) answered by crossing the plate in the first and second innings to tie the score 2-2.

Bauer stepped to the plate in the top of the third inning with both Morgan Greene and Shannon Long in scoring position. Just as she did in the first inning, the R-MC freshman planted the Quaker offering over the outfield fence for a homerun which gave the Yellow Jackets a 5-2 lead. After Bauer crossed home plate, catcher Ashley Crouch marched to the batter's box and slugged a home run of her own, this one a solo shot, to build a 6-2 Randolph-Macon lead. Just as the Yellow Jackets took another lead, however, Guilford came firing back. GC's Ambler Stapler and Kelly Hale combined for four RBIs to pull the Quakers into a 6-6 tie. The fifth inning again proved to be the difference-maker for the Quakers as GC's Julie Langseth hit a solo homerun to give her team a 7-6 advantage. After R-MC tied the game in the top of the seventh, Hale drove in Langseth with a walkoff RBI double to earn the Quakers an 8-7 win and the doubleheader sweep.

R-MC's Courtney Brooks earned the loss while Guilford's Burcham picked up the win.

The Yellow Jackets (15-15, 7-11 ODAC) finish the regular season on Wednesday when they travel to Virginia State for a 3 pm doubleheader. On Friday, Randolph-Macon enters the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament in Salem, Virginia.

- Yellow Jackets -