Randolph-Macon Lifts Second ODAC Softball Trophy

Randolph-Macon earned its second ODAC softball championship on Friday afternoon, joining the title the Yellow Jackets won in 2015.

TROUTVILLE, Va. --- Randolph-Macon College backed up its game one win over Roanoke College with a victory in game two to claim the best-of-three championship series in the ODAC Softball Tournament at Botetourt Sports Complex on Friday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets 4-3 triumph over the Maroons secured their second conference title, joining the crown R-MC donned in 2015.

THE BASICS

  • Scores: Randolph-Macon 4, Roanoke 3
  • Location: Roanoke, Va./Botetourt Sports Complex
  • Records: Randolph-Macon (38-8, 17-3 ODAC), Roanoke (27-12, 17-3 ODAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • After a scoreless first, RMC opened the second inning with two runners on and no one out. Kiley Lamberth (Mechanicsville, Va./Mechanicsville) lifted a ball to put RMC on the board with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
  • Gracie Ellis (New Kent, Va./New Kent) worked around a runner on third with two outs. RMC picked her up in the top of the third with an RBI groudout by Rilee Baughan (Warsaw, Va./Rappahannock) after Naomi Sadler (Emporia, Va./Brunswick) singled and stole second.
  • Roanoke led off the bottom of the third with a double down the line and promptly scored with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit in half to 2-1.
  • The Yellow Jackets threatened again in the fourth, as Kiley Lamberth and Maddy Bates (Arlington, Va./Bishop O'Connell) singled with two outs, but RMC couldn't add another on the board.
  • For the second straight inning, Roanoke got a run on a sacrifice fly. The Maroons had two runners on with two straight hits to begin the inning and tied the game up with one out.
  • RMC posed another threat in the top of the fifth, putting two runners aboard but came up empty. Roanoke began the bottom half with a double and later scored on an RBI single to take their first lead since the third inning of game one, 3-2.
  • Jessica Pittman (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) and Kiley Lamberth opened up the sixth with two hits and were moved over by a sacrifice bunt by Cameron Hildebrand (Fincastle, Va./James River) who passed the torch to Amanda Lanyon (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) who drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Naomi Sadler came through with a two-out RBI single, taking the lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.
  • Gracie Ellis shut the door in the sixth and seventh to finish the complete game and capture the second ODAC title in program history.

BY THE NUMBERS

  • Naomi Sadler was a tough out, finishing 4-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. She also stole a base. Her RBI in the sixth was the go-ahead run.
  • Kiley Lamberth had two key hits to add to her RBI on a sacrifice fly. She also scored a run in the game.
  • Gracie Ellis pitched a complete game for the second straight day, keeping Roanoke at bay throughout the championship series.
  • Maddy Bates made the most of a pinch hit opportunity with a single, going 1-1 on the day.
  • Kayla Davis was the third Yellow Jackets player with multiple hits, finishing 2-4 in the game.
  • RMC captures its second ODAC title in program history and first since 2015.
  • Gracie Elllis was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
  • Kayla DavisAmanda LanyonNaomi Sadler, and Rilee Baughan were also named to the All-Tournament team.

UP NEXT

Randolph-Macon and any potential ODAC at-large selections will await the NCAA Selection Show to determine their location of the regional of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The selection show is set for 1:00 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

  • Torie Shifflett, Gr., 2B, Bridgewater
  • Shiloh Gray, So., P, Guilford
  • Olivia Herman, Gr., C, Lynchburg
  • Dominique Irving, Jr., OF, Randolph
  • Kayla Stephenson, Jr., P, Shenandoah
  • Lauren Bible, So., P, Virginia Wesleyan
  • Meri Bostic, Sr., 2B, Roanoke
  • Jada Karnes, Sr., P, Roanoke
  • Adriana Rivera, Jr., OF, Roanoke
  • Rilee Baughan, Sr., 1B/P, Randolph-Macon
  • Kayla Davis, So., C, Randolph-Macon
  • Amanda Lanyon, So., OF, Randolph-Macon
  • Naomi Sadler, So., OF, Randolph-Macon
  • Gracie Ellis, So., P, Randolph-Macon (MOP)