ASHLAND, Va. - The 17th – ranked Randolph-Macon softball team swept Southern Virginia on Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets were paced by back-to-back shutout performances by starting pitchers
Gracie Ellis (New Kent, Va./New Kent) and
Dylan McNerney (Amherst, Va./Amherst County) to earn a sweep in the double header over the Knights.
The Basics:
Score: #17 Randolph-Macon 7, Southern Virginia 0 // #17 Randolph-Macon 8, Southern Virginia 2
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Randolph-Macon College // Carol Estes Park
Records: Randolph-Macon (4-0, 0-0 ODAC), Southern Virginia (3-3, 0-0 USA South)
How it Happened
Game 1:
- Southern Virginia did not waste time to put runners on base in the first inning, a leadoff single and a walk started the game. Ellis settled in and struck out the following three batters to escape the inning jam.
- Reagan Hill (Hanover, Va./Hanover) and Kiley Lamberth (Mechanicsville, Va./Mechanicsville) both singled to begin the bottom of the second inning. Both runners moved up on a Knights wild pitch to be put into scoring position with one out. Blayne Talley (Richmond, Va./Cosby) platted both runners with a single up the middle to help grab Randolph-Macon a 2-0 lead. Talley would steal second and Tori Powell (Freeman, Va./Mecklenburg County) reached on a fielding error by Southern Virginia. Talley scored on another wild pitch by the Knights and the fourth and final run was scored by Powell that crossed home on an Amanda Lanyon (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) sacrifice flyout. The four run inning would give the Lemon and Black a 4-0 lead after the first two innings.
- Randolph-Macon plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Talley began the inning with a walk and scored on a Lanyon double into the right center field gap. Lanyon later scored on a Jordan Brown (Yorktown, Va./Tabb) flyout that was misplayed by the Knights and the throw from the outfielder was off target and allowed Lanyon to come home.
- In the sixth inning, Talley continued her impressive performance with a solo homer to cap off the scoring at seven runs for the Yellow Jackets.
- Ellis settled into the game after allowing the first two batters to reach in the first inning. The senior only allowed a hit in the first and seventh innings and was perfect the other five innings in the circle. She would see five batters in the top of the seventh inning and keep Southern Virginia off the scoreboard and guide the Lemon and Black to a 7-0 win.
Inside the Numbers:
- Ellis finished the game with back-to-back shutouts to begin the season. The senior struck out 11 opposing hitters in the seven inning game, allowing only two hits, one walk and a hit-by-pitch.
- Talley led the Yellow Jackets at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. The sophomore also added two stolen bases in the game.
- Lanyon ended the game with two doubles and two RBIs for Randolph-Macon in the leadoff spot.
How it Happened
Game 2:
- Lanyon started the second game with a bang, hitting a long ball over the center field fence to jump Randolph-Macon into a 1-0 lead.
- McNerney was clutch in the circle as the starting pitcher for game two. The sophomore had baserunning traffic in each of the four innings she was throwing. She worked out of trouble and jams to pitch a four inning shutout and keep the slim 1-0 lead protected.
- The Yellow Jackets offense got going in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Alyssa Meharg (Glen Allen, Va./Glen Allen) began the inning with a triple into the right center field gap. She scored on a safety squeeze play by Randolph-Macon's Brown, Southern Virginia committed an error and everyone ended up safe. Hill reached on a fielder's choice and later scored by way of a Charlotte Boswell (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) double to right center field. Ashley Bush (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) singled home Riley Koscinski (Chesterfield, Va./Manchester) and Boswell later in the inning to up the Lemon and Black lead to 5-0.
- The Knights did score two runs in the top of the fifth inning to pull within three runs on a single down the right field line. The Yellow Jackets worked out of danger to hold the 5-2 lead.
- In the bottom half of the inning, Hill hit a laser over the right center fence for a two-run home run to grab the two runs right back for Randolph-Macon, leading 7-2.
- The Lemon and Black added one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Jacy Ramos (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) singled up the middle to begin the inning. The sophomore later scored on a single by Lanyon through the left side of the infield.
- Randolph-Macon closed the door in the seventh inning, Kailey Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va./Colonial) threw a five pitch inning to complete the sweep and a 8-2 game two victory.
Inside the Numbers:
- Lanyon and Bush both ended with two RBIs each in the second game. Lanyon was 2-for-4 with a home run and a stolen base and Bush ended the game going 1-for-3.
- Hill homered and recorded two RBIs in the second game for the Yellow Jackets.
- Meharg and Ramos both recorded two hit games, playing the corner outfield positions.
- McNerney received her second win of the season in as many starts. The sophomore hurled four scoreless innings and struck out three and walked one.
- Courtney Guthrie (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) and Jackson combined to finish the final three innings for the Yellow Jackets in the circle.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will head to North Carolina to take on Meredith College for its first road trip of the season tomorrow at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
