(HARRISONBURG, Va.) – The softball regular season hits the final stretch and Randolph-Macon currently finds itself in the pole position as it heads to Eastern Mennonite Saturday. The Yellow Jackets are currently one game ahead of both Ferrum and Bridgewater in the ODAC standings as they try to secure the top seed in the ODAC Tournament.

The Basics

Time: 1 p.m.

Venue: Gehman Field

Records: No. 8 Randolph-Macon 26-5, 11-3 ODAC; Eastern Mennonite 18-11-1

Series Record: Randolph-Macon 27, Eastern Mennonite 25

Last Meeting: No. 22 Randolph-Macon 2, Eastern Mennonite 1 (Game 1)
No. 22 Randolph-Macon 3, Eastern Mennonite 0 (Game 2)
April 6, 2021, at Randolph-Macon

Madie Rhoads struck out 10 and Ali Celeberti followed with a three-hit shutout as the Yellow Jackets swept the Royals. Sami Davidson (Stafford, Va. / Brooke Point) provided what proved to be the winning run in the opener as she crossed the plate to make the score 2-0. Rilee Baughan (Warsaw, Va. / Rappahannock) doubled in Olivia Owens (Salisbury, Md. / James M. Bennett) to start the scoring in the nightcap shutout.

Last Time Out: No. 8 Randolph-Macon 4, No. 11 Virginia Wesleyan 2 (Game 1)
No. 8 Randolph-Macon 8, No. 11 Virginia Wesleyan 5 (Game 2)
Wednesday, April 13, at Virginia Wesleyan

The Yellow Jackets rallied for three runs in the seventh to take the lead to take the opener against the defending national champions. Amanda Lanyon (Fr., Midlothian, Va. / Midlothian) tied the game on a bunt that brought in Davidson before Jessica Pittman (Jr., Virginia Beach, Va. / Kempsville) scored to take the lead later in the inning. Baughan later scored on a bases-loaded walk. Sierra Livingston (So., Dagsboro, Del. / Sussex Tech) put the Lemon and Black in front in Game 2 with a double to left center that scored Baughan and Naomi Sadler (Fr. Emporia, Va. / Brunswick). Gracie Ellis (Fr., New Kent, Va. / New Kent) recorded the win to improve to 15-2 in the opener and a save in the nightcap. Baughan hit double figures in wins to improve to 10-3 with the W in Game 2.

EMU 7, Shenandoah 3 (Game 1)
EMU 4, Shenandoah 5 (Game 2)
Wednesday, April 13, at EMU

A Becca Boone bases-loaded double broke a 2-2 tie to give the Royals a 5-2 lead to highlight a five-run third inning en route to the win. The Royals then took a 4-0 lead in the second game, but the Hornets battled back to tie it in the sixth and win in the ninth.

Inside The Numbers

• Gracie Ellis continues to be a force for the Yellow Jackets battery. The freshman sensation is among the nation's best and ranks fifth in strikeouts with 149, shutouts with five, and saves with three. Her 15 wins are good for sixth in the nation.
• Ellis' strikeout-to-walk ratio stands at 9.93, No. 19 nationally, while her strikeouts-per-seven innings stands at 9.7, No. 34 in the nation. Both lead the ODAC.
• Along with the rest of the pitching staff, the Lemon and Black battery have put together nine shutouts this season, No. 9 in the nation.
• The Yellow Jackets are amongst the best power hitting teams in the nation and have hit 21 home runs on the season. That number ranks No. 19 nationally and No. 1 in the ODAC.
• Baughan has been a big reason for that as her eight bombs are No. 17 nationally. She is currently No. 7 in RBIs with 38.
• Randolph-Macon's 199 total runs are No. 13 in Division III. Fourteen have come on sacrifice flies which ranks No. 5 in the nation.
• Base running has been a strong suit of the Jackets' offense as they have swiped 64 bases this year, No. 24 nationally.
• Lanyon leads the way with 20. Sadler and Owens follow with 15 and 10, respectively.

ODAC Standings