EMORY, Va. – The Randolph-Macon College Softball Team (9-5, 3-3 ODAC) picked up a doubleheader sweep of Emory & Henry College (13-3, 0-2 ODAC) Saturday afternoon in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action. The Yellow Jackets prevailed by scores of 14-5 and 11-1 as both games ended early due to the Eight-Run Advantage Rule.
E&H saw its 13-game winning streak, which dated back to opening day on February 25, broken. The 13 straight victories marked the second-best winning streak in program history. The record is 14 games, set during the 2002 season.
Game One – Randolph-Macon 14, Emory & Henry 5 (five innings)
R-MC got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Sam Moore's two-run shot to left field.
Emory & Henry got a run back in the bottom of the second when freshman Shelby Wray (Boones Mill, Va.) singled through the right side with the bases loaded to drive in sophomore right fielder Hannah Bays (Abingdon, Va.), who reached on a fielding error by the pitcher.
The Yellow Jackets made it 4-1 in the top of the third on a pair of solo home runs by Katie Woody and Sharese Jarvis.
E&H cut the margin to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame as senior second baseman Martha Fluharty (Halifax, N.C.) tagged a ball over the left field fence.
Randolph-Macon broke the game open in the fourth, scoring 10 runs to make the score 14-2. Scoop Simon had a two-run home run to highlight the eight-hit inning as 12 batters went to the plate.
The Wasps got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when freshman centerfielder Devynne Stiltner (Meadowview, Va.) hit a bunt single down the first baseline. Freshman Brittany Scott (Bluff City, Tenn.), whon pinch ran after freshman third baseman Ragan Halsey (Hillsville, Va.) singled, scored on the play.
In the bottom of the fifth, Emory & Henry had to get four runs to wipe off the Eight-Run Advantage Rule and keep playing, but were only able to plate a pair. Sophomore first baseman Taylor Doss (Damascus, Va.) kept it interesting with a two-run blast to right centerfield to make the final margin 14-5.
Six R-MC players had multi-hit games as Simon added three runs and three RBI. Moore and Woody also added a pair of runs and two RBI each. Best picked up the complete-game win in the circle, allowing five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts.
Fluharty and Halsey were both two-for-three at the plate while Doss drove in a pair. Junior right-hander Brandy Bryant (Salem, Va.) fell to 4-2 with the loss, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits in 3.1 inning with three strikeouts.
Game Two – Randolph-Macon 11, Emory & Henry 1 (five innings)
R-MC jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the top of the first inning, picking up where it left off. Best hit a three-run homer to left field to highlight the frame. The Yellow Jackets made it 6-0 in the third on a pair of unearned runs and added three more in the fourth to go up 9-0.
Emory & Henry got its lone run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and the bases empty, Bays hit a solo shot to left centerfield to make the score 9-1.
Randolph-Macon got two more runs in the top of the fifth for the final 11-1 margin. Woody had a RBI single in the stanza.
Amanda Sopko was three-for-three at the plate with a pair of runs scored for R-MC, while Best had two hits, three RBI and scored twice. Woody notched a pair of base knocks and came around to score twice as well. Kelsey McLaughlin picked up the one-hit complete-game victory for the Yellow Jackets, striking out five in the process.
E&H managed only four base runners in the game paced by Bays' solo home run in the fourth. Sophomore pitcher Taylor Banner (Castlewood, Va.) suffered her first loss of the season (5-1), allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits in four innings pitched.
Emory & Henry will have another test tomorrow afternoon as ODAC powerhouse Virginia Wesleyan College will visit Southwest Virginia. The Marlins are currently ranked No. 7 in NCAA Division III. First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
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