TROUTVILLE, Va. – Junior
Gracie Ellis (New Kent, Va./New Kent) allowed two hits in seven complete innings and fanned 16 batters to help lead the 7th-ranked Randolph-Macon softball team to a split in their road doubleheader with Roanoke and record the most regular season conference wins in school history at eighteen overall.
The Basics:
Scores: #7 Randolph-Macon 1, Roanoke 0 // Roanoke 5, #7 Randolph-Macon 1
Location: Troutville, Va.//Roanoke College//Botetourt Sports Complex
Records: Randolph-Macon (27-3-2, 18-2 ODAC), Roanoke (24-12, 14-6 ODAC)
How It Happened
Game 1
- Ellis was marvelous to begin the game in the circle for Randolph-Macon. The junior retired the first seven batters to begin the game, going into the third inning, as she fanned four of the seven. Naomi Sadler (Emporia, Va./Brunswick) was the only Yellow Jacket batter to record a hit in the first four innings, as she singled in the very first inning.
- The Maroons saw Ally Brown reach base with a walk with one out in the third inning. Ellis ended any threat by striking out the final two batters of the inning to keep the Roanoke offense with no hits through three innings.
- Molly Epperson broke up the no-hitter bid to begin the fourth inning for the Maroons. Ellis came through once again by not letting Roanoke advance bases, as she fanned the next three batters.
- Randolph-Macon broke through in the top half of the sixth inning with one run. Ashley Bush (Virginia Beach, Va./James Madison) was sent in to pinch hit and was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. Jacy Ramos (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) pinch ran for Bush and Amanda Lanyon (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) laid down a bunt and used her speed to beat the throw. The Lemon and Black now had two runners on base with no outs, in hopes to take the lead and break the tie. Rilee Baughan (Warsaw, Va./Rappahannock) clutched up with a big hit down the left field line to bring home Ramos to finally break the scoring drought.
- Ellis let up her only hit in the fourth inning and followed it up with sitting down the next nine batters, striking out seven of those nine batters.
- The Yellow Jackets only needed the one run, as Ellis saw Roanoke get the tying run to second base in the bottom of the seventh inning. The junior notched two final strikeouts to seal the 1-0 victory in the opening game.
By The Numbers
- Baughan knocked in the only run of the game for either team, as the senior was one of three Yellow Jackets to record a hit.
- Lanyon and Sadler were the only other two players to record a hit at the plate for Randolph-Macon.
- Ramos scored the lone run in the game for either team, when she was sent in to pinch run in the sixth inning for Bush.
- Ellis was the winning pitcher in the circle for the Yellow Jackets in seven complete innings. The junior is now 16-0 on the season and in game one she tossed her seventh shutout of the season. The New Kent native fanned 16 of the 24 batters she faced in the contest.
How It Happened
Game 2
- In game two, Roanoke took command of the lead in the very first inning, scoring two runs. Jordyn DiFava singled into right field with one out and Kate Houle drew a walk to put two runners on with two outs. Lilly Burns reached base by a fielding error by the Yellow Jackets to allow DiFava to score from second base. Madison Courts made Randolph-Macon pay for the error with a single up the middle to bring home Houle. The Maroons scored their first runs of the day with an early 2-0 lead.
- The Lemon and Black finally broke through in the top of the fourth inning, which began with a Kayla Davis (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) double off the center field fence. Alyssa Meharg (Glen Allen, Va./Glen Allen) was sent in to pinch run on second base and crossed home on a Jordan Brown (Yorktown, Va./Tabb) two-out single up the middle to cut the Roanoke lead in half at 2-1.
- The Maroons added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Erin Gorschboth led off the inning with a single and later scored on an Epperson single up the middle.
- Roanoke saw Houle and Courts hit solo homers in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a commanding 5-1 lead.
- The Yellow Jackets managed to get two runners on base with less than two outs, but Roanoke managed to grab the game two win 5-1.
By The Numbers
- Brown led the Yellow Jackets at the plate in game two, going 3-for-3 with an RBI.
- Madison Drew Faries (Colonial Heights, Va./Colonial Heights), Baughan and Davis all recorded a hit in the game.
- Meharg scored on the only run of the game on the Brown single up the middle in the fourth inning.
- Baughan tossed 5.1 innings and allowed five runs, as three were earned, on six hits and struck out six batters in the loss.
- Maddy Bates (Arlington, Va./Bishop O'Connell) retired the final two batters in the sixth inning in relief for the Yellow Jackets.
For the Record
- The win in game one was the 18th conference win for the Yellow Jackets, which is a program record for conference wins in a regular season.
- With the win in game one, Randolph-Macon secured one of the top-2 host spots in the conference playoffs.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon softball will conclude the regular season at home for Senior Day to host (RV) Lynchburg for a weekend conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 27 for a 1 p.m. ODAC doubleheader.
