ASHLAND, Va. – The 12^th-ranked Randolph-Macon softball team hosted Eastern Mennonite for their 2023 regular season home finale on Wednesday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets used a potent offense behind a no-hitter in the circle to win game one 13-0 and got timely hits and strong pitching in game two to win 3-1.

The Basics:

Scores: Randolph-Macon 13, Eastern Mennonite 0 (5 Innings)      Randolph-Macon 3, Eastern Mennonite 1

Location: Ashland, Va./Randolph-Macon College/RMC Softball Field

Records: Randolph-Macon (27-7, 11-3 ODAC), Eastern Mennonite (10-19-1, 3-13 ODAC)

How it Happened (Game 1):

• The Yellow Jackets offense exploded in the first inning, scoring nine runs on just four hits, with the big hit being a three-run homer off the bat of Olivia Owens (Salisbury, Md./James M. Bennett). RMC scored all nine runs in the inning with two outs.
• The Yellow Jackets added a pair of runs in the second inning after Owens and Gracie Ellis (New Kent, Va./New Kent) began the inning with back-to-back walks. They were driven in later in the inning to make the score 11-0 after two.
• Ellis continued to dominate in the circle as the offense continued to roll, Ellis retired the side in order in the third and then helped herself by doubling home a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to push the lead to a commanding 13-0.
• Ellis finished off the final two innings in order, to complete her second no-hitter of the season as RMC won 13-0 in five innings.

By the Numbers (Game 1):

• Gracie Ellis tossed her second no-hitter of the season, throwing five innings and striking out eight. She only threw 43 pitches in the game. It proves to be her fourth no-hitter of her career in just two seasons.
• At the plate, Ellis went 2-2 with a double, two runs scored, and two RBI. She also reached base with a walk.
• Rilee Baughan (Warsaw, Va./Rappahannock) had two hits in three at bats, scoring a run and driving in two. She passes the 100 career RBI milestone and currently sits at 101 career runs batted in.
• Olivia Owens got the party started with a three-run blast in the first inning, which was her lone hit in her only registered at bat in the game. She got on base in her only other time at the plate with a walk and scored a run then as well.

How it Happened (Game 2):

• Randolph-Macon kept the bats rolling in game two, beginning the first inning with a triple by Olivia Owens and a single by Naomi Sadler (Emporia, Va./Brunswick) score her. Sadler stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch to put the Yellow Jackets up 2-0 after one.
• Rilee Baughan pitched out a two-on no-out situation by striking out two of the next three batters to keep the Royals scoreless in the top of the second.
• The Royals threatened again in the third, but once again, Baughan battled out of it.
• The offense pushed one more across in the bottom of the sixth after a single by Amanda Lanyon (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) and another by Gracie Ellis which scored her to make it 3-0 heading to the seventh.
• Gracie Ellis came on in relief of Baughan in the fifth and allowed just one run as she finished off the game, picking up a save, with RMC finishing the sweep.

By the Numbers (Game 2):

• Rilee Baughan shut out the Royals over four innings of work while striking out four. She picked up her 14^th game of the season (first in the ODAC and eighth in the nation) and lowers her season ERA to 1.51 which sits third in the league.
• Gracie Ellis picked up a save in game two. It is the second time this season that she has picked up a win and a save in the same double header. She continued to swing a hot bat as well, going 2-3 at the plate with an RBI.
• Olivia Owens continued her first inning magic on the day. After her first inning home run in game one, she had a leadoff triple in the first inning in game two, which led to a run.
• Naomi Sadler had an RBI single in the first inning and stole two bases in the game, bringing her total to three stolen bags on the day and widens her ODAC lead with 33 on the year.

Up Next:

Randolph-Macon will be back in action on Saturday for a big ODAC double header at Bridgewater at 1:00 p.m. on the road.