(SALEM, Va.) – Second-seeded Randolph-Macon opened the ODAC Softball Tournament with an emphatic win, but split the day as the Lemon and Black were narrowly defeated in the nightcap on Friday.

The Yellow Jackets put up eight runs in the opening inning to start the day against seventh-seeded Shenandoah en route to a big win. The defending national champions and third-seeded Marlins proved to be a tougher test and scored in the top of the seventh to take the win in the second game.

The Basics

Scores: No. 13 Randolph-Macon 14, Shenandoah 2 (Game 1)
No. 13 Randolph-Macon 3, No. 14 Virginia Wesleyan 4

Venue: Moyer Sports Complex

Records:

How It Happened (Game 1 vs. Shenandoah)

• Randolph-Macon didn't wait to start the scoring and batted around the order in the first inning. Back-to-back ground outs by Natalie Robinson (Jr., Woodbridge, Va. / Forest Park) and Olivia Owens (So., Salisbury, Md. / James M. Bennett) were enough to bring in Amanda Lanyon (Fr., Midlothian, Va. / Midlothian) and Naomi Sadler (Fr., Emporia, Va. / Brunswick) for a quick 2-0 lead.
• All the following runs came on hits. Kayla Davis (Fr., Powhatan, Va. / Powhatan) started the trend with a double to bring in Rilee Baughan (Jr., Warsaw, Va. / Rappahannock) for a 3-0 score. Gracie Ellis (Fr., New Kent, Va. / New Kent) helped her own cause with a single to right center to score Davis. Jessica Pittman (Jr., Virginia Beach, Va. / Kempsville) proceeded to bring in Sami Davidson (Sr., Stafford, Va. / Brooke Point) with a single up the middle.
• The highlight of the inning came during Lanyon's second at-bat as she took a pitch over the left field fence for an 8-0 lead as Ellis and Pittman also scored on the round trip.
• The third inning brought more fireworks as the Lemon and Black put up a six-spot. Baughan added to her RBI total with a bases-loaded single to bring in Cameron Hildebrand (Jr., Fincastle, Va. / James River) who was pinch running for Pittman. Robinson then doubled in Sadler and Lanyon to put the score at 11-0.
• Baughan scored on an error and Bailey Hairfield (So., Chesterfield, Va. / Cosby) scored on the next play with a double down the left field line by Davis. Davidson then made it 14-0 with a single to bring in Owens
• Shenandoah was able to score three in the top of the fifth, but their bid to extend the game ended early as Owens sent a laser throw to Davidson who tagged out L Richichi as she tried to score rounding third.

How It Happened (Game 2 vs. Virginia Wesleyan)

• A two-run home run by Virginia Wesleyan put the Marlins on the board in the first and were the only runs through four innings of play.
• The Marlins added another in the fifth to make it 3-0, but the Jackets answered and tied the game in the bottom of the frame. Owens scored the first as Lanyon singled up the middle with the bases loaded. Sadler followed on a similar play one batter later to score Davidson. Baughan grounded out on the next play, but it was enough to score Arianna Prymak (Fr., Woodbridge, Va. / Woodbridge) who was pinch running.
• The Marlins led off the seventh with a walk and moved the runner around to go ahead 4-3. R-MC was able to get a couple of runners on in the bottom of the frame, but both were left stranded to end the game.

Inside The Numbers

• Lanyon finished the day by going 5-for-8 from the plate, including 3-for-4 with three runs scored in the opening game. Sadler put up similar numbers as she went 5-for-7 with two runs scored.
• Davis wasn't far behind as she went 4-for-6 on the day with two RBIs, a run scored, and two doubles.
• Ellis was the pitcher of record in both contests to bring her season total to 18-4. She struck out 19 on the day to give her 199 for the season.

Up Next

The Yellow Jackets will open up the day tomorrow against fifth-seeded Bridgewater in an elimination game on Field 1. The Eagles were an 8-0 winner over eighth-seeded Eastern Mennonite in an elimination game on Friday. The winner will play the winner of sixth-seeded Ferrum and top-seeded Lynchburg in the other elimination game.