ASHLAND, Va. – The Randolph-Macon softball team swept Lynchburg, behind a walk off in game one and a shutout run rule game in the second game of the day.
The Basics:
Scores: Randolph-Macon 4, Lynchburg 3 // Randolph-Macon 8, Lynchburg 0
Location: Ashland, Va.//Randolph-Macon College//Carol Estes Park
Records: Randolph-Macon (21-13, 8-6 ODAC), Lynchburg (21-13, 10-4 ODAC)
How it Happened
Game 1:
- In the first two innings, Kailey Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va./Colonial) was piling up the strikeouts. The sophomore sat down four of the first seven batters with the strikeout pitch, keeping the game tied at 0-0.
- Randolph-Macon got Kiley Lamberth (Mechanicsville, Va./Mechanicsville) to lead off the second inning with a double into left center field. The senior moved over to third on a passed ball and crossed home on a sacrifice flyout by Mya Davis (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield). The Yellow Jackets would load up the bases in the same inning, but Lynchburg kept the damage to one run and RMC took a 1-0 lead.
- In the fourth inning, the Hornets received a two out triple by Alyssa Talayumptewa to put pressure on the Randolph-Macon defense. Jackson gets out of the game to keep the lead in the favor of the Lemon and Black at 1-0.
- The Yellow Jackets got singles from Reagan Hill (Hanover, Va./Hanover) and Jordan Brown (Yorktown, Va./Tabb) to put runners on the corners and one out. Tori Powell (Freeman, Va./Mecklenberg County) knocked in Hill on a sacrifice flyout to double the RMC lead to 2-0.
- In the fifth inning the Hornets started to get the bats going with singles by Sydney Bryant and Bryanna Orange. Layla Lietzan moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Lynchburg got a double from Alex Love to bring Bryant home to cut the Randolph-Macon lead in half. Sarah Watts gave the Hornets the lead at 3-2 with a single to plate two runners.
- The Lemon and Black started the bottom of the seventh inning with Powell getting hit by a pitch, as she represented the potential tying run. Bush singled up the middle to put two runners on base with one out. Avery Shifflett (Ruckersville, Va./William Monroe) was sent in to pinch run for Bush. Katerina Brabson (Chesapeake Beach, Md./Northern) followed up the Bush single with one of her own to load up the bases. Lamberth produced a productive at-bat with a sacrifice flyout to center field to bring Powell home. Davis won the game for Randolph-Macon with a single up the middle to score Shifflett and the Yellow Jackets completed the comeback winning 4-3.
By the Numbers
- Jackson started the game for the Yellow Jackets, tossing four innings and gave up two runs on four hits and struck out four. Sierra Kegley (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) finished the final three innings, giving up one run on three hits and received the win.
- Davis led the team in RBIs with two in the game.
- Lamberth ended the game going 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI.
- Powell recorded the remaining RBI for the Yellow Jackets.
- Brabson and Brown both recorded two hits each in the game.
How it Happened
Game 2:
- Lynchburg began the first inning with a walk and stolen base by Watts. Talayumptewa continued the inning with a single into left field, putting runners on the corners with one out. Kegley got two straight strikeouts by Hailey Schildt and Helen Maddux to get out of inning for Randolph-Macon.
- In the bottom of the second inning, Brabson would get the bats started with a leadoff single. Brabson moved up to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Lamberth double down the left field line. Davis dropped down a nice bunt for a single and pushed Lamberth to third base. Davis stole second to put two runners into scoring position with zero outs. Riley Koscinski (Chesterfield, Va./Manchester) grounded out to shortstop and allowed Brabson to score from third, giving RMC a 2-0 lead. Brown drew a walk to keep the inning going and would steal second base. Powell had the big hit in the inning, scorching a double into left field to plate Davis and Brown. The Lemon and Black got four hits and four runs in the inning to take a 4-0 lead.
- Randolph-Macon kept the hot bats going in the third inning. Bush singled up the middle, as Shifflett pinch ran and Brabson singled with Jacy Ramos (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) pinch running for her. Lamberth continued her great day at the plate, doubling home Shifflett and Ramos. Davis continued the hard hits with a double down the left field line to plate Lamberth. Koscinski produced the fourth run of the inning with a groundout to allow Davis to score. The Lemon and Black used the four runs to run their lead to 8-0 after three complete innings.
- Kegley set down the Hornets in order in the top of the fifth inning to help secure the sweep with an 8-0 win in game two.
By the Numbers
- Kegley started the game for the Lemon and Black, tossing five shutout innings only giving up four hits. The freshman secured her sixth shutout of the season with three strikeouts in the game.
- Lamberth ended the game going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs.
- Powell and Koscinski both had two RBIs in the game.
- Davis ended the game with a double and an RBI.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will head on the road to Eastern Mennonite on Saturday, April 18.
