ASHLAND, Va. - Senior Madison Gilman (Glen Allen, Va./Patrick Henry) homered and drove in the tying run in the bottom of the seventh and sophomore Nelda Bagley (Kennbridge, Va./Central) struck out 11 in the nightcap as the Randolph-Macon softball team swept a doubleheader from Franklin & Marshall Sunday afternoon at the R-MC Softball Field.

The Yellow Jackets (11-5) took the opener 6-5 in nine innings before posting a 4-1 victory in Game 2.

After the Diplomats (4-2) tallied an unearned run in the top of the first in Game 1, R-MC answered in the third. Gilman homered to left with two away to knot the score at 1-1. Sophomore Harley Jones (Broadnax, Va./Brunswick) had a single, stole second, and scored on a double by sophomore Hayden Fontenot (Lexington, Va./Rockbridge) to give R-MC the lead. A single by junior Jen Balcom (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) plated Fontenot, and Balcom scored on a double by sophomore Skylar Toth (Midlothian, Va./Clover Hill) to give the Yellow Jackets a 4-1 advantage.

F&M added a pair of unearned run in the fifth to pull within one at 4-3 and took a 5-4 lead with two more unearned runs in the seventh.

Freshman Brandi Mulvena (Farnham, Va./Rappahannock) had a two-out single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh and scored the tying run on a double by Gilman to level the score at 5-5.

The Yellow Jackets won it in the bottom of the ninth. With Toth on second, junior Katie Lockett (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Toth to third. Ford reached on a fielder's choice and Toth scored on an error to give R-MC the 6-5 victory.

Gilman was a triple short of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with two RBI. Toth was 2 for 3 with one run and one RBI.

Freshman Candace Whittemore (6-2) earned the win in the opener, allowing six hits and five runs, all unearned, with two walks and eight strikeouts in nine innings.

In Game 2, Bagley (4-3) went the distance, scattering seven hits and giving up one run in seven innings with two walks and 11 strikeouts.

R-MC jumped out quickly with three in the first. Balcom had a leadoff single and moved to second one out later when Gilman was hit by a pitch. A base hit by Jones brought home Balcom to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Gilman moved to third and Jones stole second to put to Yellow Jackets in scoring position. With two away, Ford singled up the middle to drive home both runners, giving R-MC a 3-0 lead.

After F&M tallied a run in the top of the fourth, the Yellow Jackets answered in the bottom of the frame. Freshman Diane McDaniel (Fauquier, Va./Liberty) had a two-out bunt single, moved to second on a single by Abernethy and came home on a base hit by Balcom to give R-MC a 4-1 advantage.

Ford finished with two hits and two RBI, while Balcom and Jones both had two hits, one run and one RBI.

Randolph-Macon travels to Methodist on Thursday, March 17, for a 3 p.m. doubleheader.