ASHLAND, Va. – Senior Madie Rhoads (Portsmouth, Va./Nansemond River) tossed a no-hitter in the opener with 10 strikeouts in five innings as the 24th-ranked Randolph-Macon softball team swept a doubleheader from Southern Virginia on Saturday afternoon.

The Basics

Score: #24 Randolph-Macon 8-6, Southern Virginia 0-1

Site/Venue: Ashland, Va./R-MC Softball Field

Records: R-MC 2-1-1, SVU 3-3

How It Happened: Game 1

• Rhoads set the Knights down in order in the top of the first with a pair of strikeouts before the Yellow Jacket offense put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the frame. Senior Erin Doyle (Moseley, Va./Cosby) drew a two-out walk and went to third on a base hit by senior Ali Celiberti (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan), who advanced to second on the throw. Senior Sami Davidson (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point) drove in both runners with a base hit to center. Davidson would score on a double by sophomore Jessica Pittman (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville), and Pittman would touch home plate on an error as R-MC took a 4-0 lead.
• Rhoads struck out the side in the top of the second before the home team added a run in the bottom of the inning. Senior Maddie Stone (Glen Allen, Va./Glen Allen) drew a two-out walk and scored on a double by Doyle to make it 5-0. Celiberti had a leadoff homer in the third, while Rhoads led off the fourth with a single and pinch-runner Bailey Hairfield (Chesterfield, Va./Cosby) stole second and scored on a base hit by senior Kamryn Steinruck (Glen Allen, Va./Glen Allen) as the Yellow Jackets went up 7-0.
• After not allowing a hit in the top of the fifth, Rhoads drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the frame to end the game by run-rule.

By The Numbers

• Pittman reached base three times, going 2 for 2 with a walk, one run and one RBI.
• Celiberti had two hits, two runs and one RBI.
• Davidson scored twice and knocked in a pair.

How It Happened: Game 2

• After stranding a pair in the top of the first in the nightcap, R-MC would get on the scoreboard in the second. Senior Shelby Hill (Mechanicsville, Va./St. Margaret's) reached on an error, stole second and scored on a two-out hit by Steinruck to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 edge.
• Stone would double to leadoff the third and come home on a single by Celiberti to make it 2-0.
• The Yellow Jackets would put up a crooked number in the fifth. Steinruck had a leadoff single, moved to second on a base hit by Pittman and scored on an error as the advantage grew to 3-0. Stone would lay down a squeeze bunt to bring home Pittman and make it 4-0. Doyle doubled and pinch-runner Cameron Hildebrand (Fincastle, Va./James River) scored on a single by Celiberti to give the home team a 5-0 cushion.
• Following a homer by the Knights in the top of the sixth, Hill doubled and  scored on a groundout by Steinruck to make the final 6-1.

By The Numbers

• Celiberti record the win in Game 2, going 7.0 innings with six hits, one run, one walk and three strikeouts. She also went 3 for 3 at the plate with two RBI.
• Steinruck went 2 for 3 with one run and two RBI.
• Doyle also had two hits for the Yellow Jackets.
• Hill went 1 for 3 with two runs.

Up Next

Randolph-Macon will travel to Lynchburg on Wednesday, March 24 for a 3 p.m. doubleheader to kick off ODAC play.