(ASHLAND, Va.) – No. 22 Randolph-Macon took care of business with a sweep of Eastern Mennonite in ODAC softball action Tuesday afternoon to start its longest home stand of the season. It was the first two of eight consecutive games at home for the Yellow Jackets.

The Basics

Scores: Game 1 - Randolph-Macon 2, Eastern Mennonite 1
Game 2 – Randolph-Macon 3, Eastern Mennonite 0

Venue: R-MC Softball Field

Records: R-MC 8-3-1, 4-2 ODAC; EMU 1-9, 0-6 ODAC

How It Happened (Game 1):

• Small ball helped the Jackets get on the board first as Kamryn Steinruck (Sr., Glen Allen, Va. / Glen Allen) bunted in Jessica Pittman (So., Virginia Beach, Va. / Kempsville) and moved Sami Davidson (Sr., Stafford, Va. / Brooke Point) over to third in the second inning. Davidson scored later in the frame when Maddie Stone (Sr., Glen Allen, Va. / Glen Allen) doubled to left center.
• Eastern Mennonite scored its lone run on an error in the sixth to set up the 2-1 final. Outside of that, the Royals were shut down by a stellar performance by Madie Rhoads (Sr., Portsmouth, Va. / Nansemond River) who struck out 10 of the 25 batters faced. She allowed just three base runners, two who reached on hits and another on a walk.

Inside The Numbers (Game 1):

• It's the second-straight game Rhoads has reached double-digits in strikeouts. She punched out a career-best 12 in her last game at Mary Washington and fanned another 10 in the home opener against Southern Virginia.
• Of the 10 different batters for the Royals, eight of them struck out at least once.

How It Happened (Game 2):

• Timely hitting strongly aided Randolph-Macon in the nightcap. After the first three innings were scoreless by both teams, the Jackets broke through in the fourth when Rilee Baughan (So., Warsaw, Va. / Rappahannock) doubled in Olivia Owens (Fr., Salisbury, Md. / James M. Bennett). Owens was pinch running for Erin Doyle (Sr., Moseley, Va. / Cosby) who doubled to left center to start the inning.
• Doyle wasn't finished as she doubled again to left center to bring in the Jackets' second run one inning later. Steinruck scored on the play after originally reaching safely on a walk.
• Shelby Hill (Sr., Mechanicsville, Va. / St. Margaret's) provided an insurance run in the sixth after a throwing error by the Royals allowed her to score. She originally reached after laying down a perfectly place bunt down the third base line.

Inside The Numbers (Game 2):

• Doubles were plentiful as the Jackets hit five of them in the game. Doyle provided three alone as she was 3-for-3 in the game and now has five in her last five games. During that stretch she is 9-for-14 with four walks. She has reached safely in all but two games this season.
• Ali Celiberti tossed another gem and recorded her first shutout of the season. She is not 4-1 on the year with one save and an ERA of 2.39.

Up Next:

A non-conference twin bill awaits the Yellow Jackets tomorrow as Mary Washington comes to town. First pitch with the Eagles is set for 3 p.m.