VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The 11th - ranked Randolph-Macon softball team brought a split back home to Ashland over nationally ranked Virginia Wesleyan to open up conference play, Junior pitcher
Gracie Ellis (New Kent, Va./New Kent) opens the season with a perfect record with five straight complete game wins for the Yellow Jackets. Virginia Wesleyan used a grand slam in the fifth inning of game two to secure the split with the Lemon and Black.
The Basics:
Scores: Randolph-Macon 7, Virginia Wesleyan 3; Virginia Wesleyan 4, Randolph-Macon 0
Location: Virginia Beach, Va.//Virginia Wesleyan University//Townebank Park
Records: Randolph-Macon (7-2-1, 1-1 ODAC), Virginia Wesleyan (9-4, 1-1 ODAC)
How it Happened
Game 1:
- Virginia Wesleyan started the bottom of the first inning with some pop, as Sarah Prosser doubled to begin the game. Laci Campbell singled to put runners on the corners and Karley Beltran got the Marlins their third straight hit with a single up the middle to bring in Prosser. Alison Pollack reached on an infield fielding error to score Campbell and double the Virginia Wesleyan lead 2-0. Ellis retired three straight Marlin batters to end the scoring and limit the damage at 2-0.
- The Yellow Jackets answered in the top half of the second with a run to cut the Virginia Wesleyan lead in half, still trailing 2-1. Olivia Owens (Salisbury, Md./James M. Bennett) doubled into the right field gap to start the inning, Kiley Lamberth (Mechanicsville, Va./Mechanicsville) singled to put runners on the corners of the bases on the next at-bat. Owens scored during the next at-bat as Ellis reached on a fielder's choice with Lamberth getting out at second base.
- Randolph-Macon kept the bats hot in the third inning, Amanda Lanyon (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) tied up the game with one swing, as she led off with a solo homer to tie the game up at 2-2. The Lemon and Black drew back-to-back walks by Naomi Sadler (Emporia, Va./Brunswick) and Rilee Baughan (Rappahannock, Va./Warsaw) to create another scoring threat. Owens hit her second double in as many innings to score Sadler and take the lead 3-2, after three complete innings.
- Ellis was working in the circle, since the two runs given up in the first inning. The junior retired nine straight batters from the second to fourth inning and she struck out two of those nine batters to keep the Marlins at bay offensively.
- The fourth inning was huge for Randolph-Macon as they plated four runs all with two outs to give some insurance to Ellis in the circle. The Marlins pitcher went on a stretch that saw Sadler, Baughan and Davis draw consecutive walks for the Yellow Jackets and a fourth consecutive walk by Owens scored Sadler. The walks didn't stop there as Lamberth drew the fifth straight walk to plate Baughan to give the Lemon and Black a 5-2 lead. The walks came back to bite Virginia Wesleyan, as after a pitching change for the Marlins, Ellis doubled into the gap to add two more runs for Randolph-Macon and end with a 7-2 lead after four innings.
- Virginia Wesleyan added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning, Beltran and Pollack led off the inning with back-to-back hits. Emma Adams reached on a fielding error by the Yellow Jackets to bring home Beltran. The Marlins got two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning, but could not cash in on Randolph-Macon mistakes to end game one with a 7-3 win for Randolph-Macon.
By the Numbers
- Ellis records her fifth complete game and win of the season. The junior fanned only three Marlins in game one and gave up two runs on seven hits. She also had a solid day at the plate, with a big two RBI double in the fourth inning and totalled four RBIs.
- Owens ended the game, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two doubles.
- Lanyon homered in the third inning for the Yellow Jackets.
How it Happened
Game 2:
- Neither team could find their footing in game two in the box to be able to score runs in the first four innings. The Yellow Jackets only were able to get runners in scoring position twice in the first five innings. Baughan held tough in the circle, walking four batters in the first four innings; she managed to escape every inning to hold the score at 0-0, through four innings.
- Randolph-Macon loaded-up the bases in the fifth inning and almost scored on a Sadler single up the middle as Lanyon rounded third for home; she was thrown out at the plate to keep the game at 0-0. Virginia Wesleyan mounted a four run lead in the fifth inning in a big way to take a commanding lead. Laci Campbell led off the inning with a single, Prosser singled on a drag bunt and Beltran walked to load up the bases with no outs. Pollack cleared the fence with a grandslam to break the ice with two innings to go, as the Marlins used the homer to win the game 4-0.
By the Numbers
- Baughan took the loss in 6.0 innings, giving up four runs on six hits. The senior added three strikeouts and five walks. She also recorded two hits in the game to lead Randolph-Macon.
- Kayla Davis (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan), Sadler and Lanyon all recorded a hit.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon heads to Salem to continue conference play at Roanoke on Saturday, March 23 at 1:00 p.m.
