Lynchburg, Randolph-Macon Win Twice, Weather Alters Saturday's Schedule
SALEM, Va. --- The James I. Moyer Sports Complex hosted eight games on the first day of the ODAC Softball Tournament. Second-seeded Lynchburg College and third-seeded Randolph-Macon College are in the driver's seat as the duo will play on Saturday in the winners' bracket semifinals.
Sixth-seeded Emory & Henry College, #5 Guilford College, #3 Roanoke College and #1 Virginia Wesleyan College went 1-1 and must win three times to meet either LC or R-MC in the title game. Seventh-seeded Eastern Mennonite University and #8 Randolph College were eliminated with two losses on Friday.
In anticipation of unfavorable weather conditions on Saturday, the ODAC has altered Saturday's slate of games. Those contests, as well as scores from today's games, are listed below.
ODAC Softball Tournament - Scores and Schedule
Friday, April 24
Game 1: #1 Virginia Wesleyan def. #8 Randolph, 8-2 --- Box Score
Virginia Wesleyan got six strong innings from Kristina Karagiorgis as the Marlins’ righty fanned 10 WildCats en route to her 15th win of the season. Cassetty Howerin and Kayla Dost provided the power, collecting two hits each and five RBI combined. Howerin crashed a solo homer to lead-off the third inning. Courtney Bogan and Kayla Malkos each stole three bases.
Game 2: #4 Randolph-Macon def. #5 Gulford, 2-0 --- Box Score
R-MC’s Nelda Bagley came out on top in a bit a pitcher’s duel with GC’s Courtney Lackey, twirling a five-hit shutout for her ODAC-leading 16th win the season. Bagley fanned four in seven innings, while Lackey gave up two runs on five hits with three walks and six punchouts. Katie Woody had both RBI for Randolph-Macon, driving in both runs with a single to right in the third inning.
Game 3: #2 Lynchburg def. #7 Eastern Mennonite, 4-3 --- Box Score
Leslie Bourgeois had a triple and two RBI to power a Hornets’ offense that scored twice in the first and third innings, proving just enough to hold off EMU. Aislinn Lucas went 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Royals, while Lauren Seale relieved and threw 3.2 scoreless innings to aid in the Royals’ comeback bid. Kirsten Copley got the win and Conner English picked up the save.
Game 4: #3 Roanoke def. #6 Emory & Henry, 3-1 --- Box Score
In yet another tight contest, Roanoke righty Kelly Higbie gave up just two hits and fanned five in working a full frame to get the win against E&H. Leah Elswick sent one of the Wasps’ hits out of the park for a solo homer. Taylor Sutherland and Rachel Guilliams had two hits each for the Maroons. An E&H error in the third inning led to two of RC’s tallies in the three-run inning.
Game 5: #5 Guilford def. #8 Randolph, 5-4 --- Box Score
Guilford starter Maggie Shaffer nearly cruised her way to a seventh victory, but a four-run seventh inning nearly derailed her efforts. Hunter Glavé sent a three-run rocket over the right-center field fence to add suspense to final frame, only for the WildCats to come up one run short. Rachel Howard drove in two runs for Guilford, while four Randolph errors led to four unearned runs.
Game 6: #6 Emory & Henry def. #8 Eastern Mennonite, 2-1 (11 innings) --- Box Score
Emory & Henry and Eastern Mennonite played in the only extra-inning contest on Friday, with the Wasps’ winning on a walk-off single to center by Taylor Doss in the bottom of the 11th. Roxanne Hillman and Brandy Bryant combined to scatter 11 hits towards the win, while Lauren Seale went the distance for EMU, giving up two unearned runs and striking out five. Jordan Chrisley had two hits for E&H, while Mariah Foltz had three knocks for EMU.
Game 7: #4 Randolph-Macon def. #1 Virginia Wesleyan, 2-0 --- Box Score
Nelda Bagley registered her second shutout of the day, this time three-inning the top-seeded Marlins. The Yellow Jackets’ lefty struck out eight batters, helping to snap VWC righty Kristina Karagiorgis’ 15-game winning streak. Karagiorgis was strong for the second time as well, striking out seven in a complete game effort. The Marlins had won 17 in a row. Amanda Sopko led all players with two hits.
Game 8: #2 Lynchburg def. #3 Roanoke, 6-1 --- Box Score
Lynchburg scored three times in each of the third and fourth innings and Conner English allowed just three hits with seven strikeouts towards a complete game win. Amber Ingram drove in three runs while Kayla St. John plated a pair. Ingram and Nicole Riley had two hits each. RC outfield Rhea Schleicher accounted for the Maroons only run with a homer down the leftfield line in the fifth inning.
Saturday, April 25
Game 9: #3 Roanoke vs. #5 Guilford, 9:00 a.m. (Field 2)
Game 10: #1 Virginia Wesleyan vs. #6 Emory & Henry, 9:00 a.m. (Field 3)
Game 11: #2 Lynchburg vs. #4 Randolph-Macon, 9:00 a.m. (Field 1)
Game 12: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 11:30 a.m. (Field 1)
Game 13: Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 11, 3:00 p.m. (Field 1)
Sunday, April 26
Game 14 - Championship: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13, 1:00 p.m. (Field 1)
Game 15 - "If" Championship: Same teams as in Game 14