(COLUMBUS, Ga.) - The Randolph-Macon softball team finished off the NFCA Leadoff Classic in style with wins over MIT and No. 16 Trine. The sweep of the day gives the Yellow Jackets a five game win streak and wins against all three nationally ranked teams played.

Over the last three days the Jackets went 5-1 with wins over three nationally ranked teams. Gracie Ellis (Fr., New Kent, Va. / New Kent) also excelled and was placed on the all-tournament team as a result.

The Basics

Scores: Game 1 – Randolph-Macon 3, MIT 0
Game 2 – Randolph-Macon 2, No. 16 Trine 1

Venue: South Commons

Records: Randolph-Macon 10-1
MIT 1-5
No. 16 Trine 0-6

How It Happened (Game 1 vs. MIT)

• A pitchers' duel broke out early as Sierra Livingston (So., Dagsboro, Del. / Sussex Tech) took a spot start after being called upon just minutes before first pitch and went up against MIT's Anya Chase. She was very effective and kept the game scoreless through three innings and allowed just two hits.
• The Yellow Jackets eventually got on the board with solo runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Sami Davidson (Sr., Stafford, Va. / Brooke Point) brought in the first run with a sac fly that scored Bailey Hairfield (So., Chesterfield, Va. / Colgan) who was pinch running for Kayla Davis (Fr., Powhatan, Va. / Powhatan) who led of the frame with a single. In the fifth Rilee Baughan (Jr., Warsaw, Va. / Rappahannock), who relieved Livingston in the fourth, singled in Cameron Hildebrand (Jr., Fincastle, Va. / James River). Maddy Bates (So., Arlington, Va. / Bishop O'Connell) added an insurance run with her base hit to center that brought in Ellie Barton (Fr., Powhatan, Va. / Powhatan).
• The Yellow Jackets' battery took care of the rest as Baughan picked up the win to improve to 3-0. She allowed just one hit and a walk in 3.1 innings before Gracie Ellis (Fr., New Kent, Va. / New Kent) closed out the game to record the first save of her collegiate career.

How It Happened (Game 2 vs. No. 16 Trine)

• Another pitchers' duel broke out in the tournament bookend for the Jackets with Ellis remaining in the circle. She was tagged for an unearned run in the third inning, but was otherwise unscathed and struck out six Thunder batters to give her 80 on the season.
• While the offense was limited for the Lemon and Black, the bats did provide the heroics in the bottom of the seventh. Ellis helped her own cause once again with a double to left center to lead off the inning. Hairfield pinch ran for her and came home in the next at-bat as Davis followed up with a game-tying double to left center as well.
• Trine secured outs on the next two batters before walking Barton to put runners on the corners, but an error on the next play allowed Davis to score and give R-MC the walk-off win.

Inside The Numbers

• Ellis capped the tournament with another win to improve to 7-1 on the season. She was 4-1 with a save on the weekend alone with three wins against teams in the top 25. In 29.2 innings of work, she allowed seven runs, five earned, on just 16 hits and three walks. She fanned a mind-staggering 49 hitters and was rewarded with a spot on the all-tournament team as a result.
• The combined shutout was the Yellow Jackets' fifth blanking of the season, the second most by any team so far this season.
• Baughan extended her hit streak to 11 games dating back to last season before Trine broke it. Baughan still had an incredible weekend and went 7-for-20 with two doubles for an average of .350. She scored five runs and batted in eight more.
• Davis went 3-for-6 on the day with a double, one run scored and one RBI.

Up Next

• The strong competition will continue with another team that was at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in No. 17 Berry. The Vikings went 4-2 in their six games and will make the trip to Ashland on Wednesday for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.