NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The 24th – ranked Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets took the lead in the fifth inning and got
Gracie Ellis (New Kent, Va./New Kent) to retire the final 15 batters she faced to defeat top-seeded Christopher Newport. The Yellow Jackets will play in the regional final tomorrow in Newport News.
The Basics
Score: (2) Randolph-Macon 4, (1) Christopher Newport 3
Location: Newport News, Va. // Christopher Newport University // Captains Park
Records: Randolph-Macon: 36-11 // Christopher Newport: 36-5
How It Happened
- Christopher Newport got on the board in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Candace Slaw led off the game reaching by a fielding error by the Yellow Jackets. Brooke Greaver moved Slaw over to third base with a single to put runners on the corners and one out. Sammy Drew scored Slaw on another single through the left side of the infield. Ellis limited the damage retiring the next two batters to keep the deficit at one run.
- In the top of the second inning, Charlotte Boswell (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) was hit by a pitch to begin the inning for Randolph-Macon. Tori Powell (Freeman, Va./Mecklenburg County) reached on a bunt single to put two runners on and nobody out. Jacy Ramos (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) drew a one out walk to load up the bases for the Lemon and Black. Blayne Talley (Richmond, Va./Cosby) was sent into pinch hit and came through with a two RBI single into left field to score Boswell and Powell. The Yellow Jackets added one more run with a Amanda Lanyon (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) sacrifice flyout to center field to plate Ramos. The three run inning pushed Randolph-Macon in front by a score of 3-1.
- The lead was cut to one for the Yellow Jackets after Simone Thompson blasted a solo homer over the left field fence for Christopher Newport in the bottom of the second.
- The Captains tied up the game in the bottom of the third inning with a Greaver solo home run over the right field fence.
- In the fifth inning, the Lemon and Black received back-to-back singles by Lanyon and Naomi Sadler (Emporia, Va./Brunswick) to put pressure on Christopher Newport. Kayla Davis (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Reagan Hill (Hanover, Va./Hanover) pushed Lanyon home on a sacrifice flyout to center field. The run gave Randolph-Macon the lead back at 4-3.
- Ellis shut down the Captains offense, retiring the final 15 batters of the game that included a clean fourth inning before the Yellow Jackets took the lead. The senior forced Christopher Newport into multiple negative counts and the defense behind Ellis made the plays to secure the 4-3 win.
By The Numbers
- Ellis started the game for the Lemon and Black, tossing seven full innings, giving up three runs on five hits. The senior also struck out seven batters and grabbed her 23rd win of the season.
- Talley led the offense with two RBIs on her single in the second inning.
- Lanyon and Hill recorded an RBI each and Lanyon also scored once in the game.
- Boswell had the only extra base hit for Randolph-Macon with her double and she also scored once.
Press Conference
Listen to the post game thoughts from the Yellow Jackets
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOyJdU2N3AY
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets will be back in action tomorrow morning for the Newport News regional final at 11am with the opponent TBD.
