ASHLAND, Va. – The 10th – ranked Randolph-Macon softball team kicked off their 2024 campaign with a weekend showdown with Marymount (Va.) on Sunday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets were paced by a no-hitter by
Gracie Ellis (New Kent, Va./New Kent) in game one to earn a sweep in the double header over the Saints.
The Basics:
Scores: Randolph-Macon 5, Marymount 0, Randolph-Macon 6, Marymount 1
Location: Ashland, Va.//Randolph-Macon College//Carol Estes Park
Records: Randolph-Macon (2-0, 0-0 ODAC), Marymount (0-2, 0-0 AEC)
How it Happened
Game 1:
- Ellis started her junior year season with an immaculate first inning for the Yellow Jackets, only throwing nine pitches and recording three strikeouts. Randolph-Macon did get a hit in each of the first two innings, but could not push across a run to take the lead.
- Naomi Sadler (Emporia, Va./Brunswick) drew a walk with two outs in the third inning, Rilee Baughan (Warsaw, Va./Rappahannock) knocked her in during the next at-bat with a two-run homer. Ellis did her part in the top half of the inning, as she struck out two of the three batters she faced, as RMC a 2-0 lead after three innings.
- Leila Hernandez led off the top of the fourth inning, to give the Saints their first base runner of the game and end the perfect game bid for Ellis. With the no-hitter still in reach, Ellis retired the next three batters from Marymount to end the threat in the fourth inning.
- Kiley Lamberth (Mechanicsville, Va./Mechanicsville) led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to left field for Randolph-Macon. Sadler hit a clutch two-out single up the middle that scored Bailey Hairfield (Chesterfield, Va./Cosby) from third as she pinch ran for Lamberth. The Yellow Jackets threat ended with the one run, as Blayne Talley (Richmond, Va./Cosby) was thrown out at home on the Sadler single. Sadlers' single increased the Yellow Jacket lead to 3-0 after the fourth inning.
- Randolph-Macon tacked on another run in the bottom half of the fifth inning, as Olivia Allen (Dinwiddie, Va./Dinwiddie) crossed home on a Olivia Owens (Salisbury, Md./James M. Bennett) single through the right side of the infield.
- Amanda Lanyon (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) accounted for the fifth and final run of the game in the sixth inning, as she scored on a throwing error by the Saints.
- Ellis capped off the no-hitter in style in the seventh inning, striking out the final three batters, just the way she started the game in the first inning. Randolph-Macon would take home the game one victory 5-0.
By the Numbers
- Ellis finished the game with her fourth no-hitter of her career, allowing only one walk in the game. The junior struck out 13 opposing hitters in the seven inning game.
- Baughan ended the game going 2-for-4 at the plate with a two-run homer and a single to total two RBIs.
- Sadler was perfect at the plate for the Yellow Jackets, going 3-for-3. The junior had three singles and walked once, as she knocked in one and scored once.
- Owens ended game one with two hits in three trips to the plate. The senior had an RBI double and she also walked once.
- Lamberth also added two hits to her team's credit in three at-bats.
How it Happened
Game 2:
- The Yellow Jackets started the second game with back-to-back doubles by Lanyon and Sadler, as Lanyon scored on the Sadler double. Sadler later scored on a Kayla Davis (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) sacrifice flyout to left field to put RMC up 2-0 after the first inning.
- Randolph-Macon didn't stop there at the plate, as Lanyon singled to start the second inning, she stole second base and scored on a Sadler double to left field. Sadler accounted for the fourth run of the game, as she scored later in the inning on a Davis single through the left side of the infield.
- Marymount found their first hit of the day in a big way in the third inning, as Ashleigh Mannion tripled off the right field wall. She later scored on a Kammie Brown single into right field, as the Saints still trailed 4-1.
- Baughan hit her second home run of the day to score the second to final run of the game and give the Lemon and Black a 5-1 lead.
- Owens scored on a wild pitch by the Saints in the sixth inning, to give Randolph-Macon a 6-1 game two win.
By the Numbers
- Baughan was once again dominant in game two. In the circle, the graduate student struck out seven and allowed three hits in six innings of work to get the win. At the plate, Baughan went 1-for-2 with a solo homer and added two walks to her credit.
- Sadler recorded two hits in game two with two RBIs and two runs scored. She ended the doubleheader with a stat line of 5-for-6, with two doubles and three RBIs.
- Davis ended the game with two RBIs and went 2-for-2 at the plate.
- Lanyon and Owens finished game two with two hits each.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will take 11 days off before heading down to the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia on Mar. 1 at 3:30 p.m.
