The Basics
Score: #20 Roanoke 1 | Ferrum 0
Records: Maroons 23-10 / 9-6 ODAC | Panthers 19-12 / 9-6 ODAC
Location: Salem, Va.
The Lead: Roanoke wrapped up the home portion of their regular season when they hosted Ferrum on Thursday afternoon. The Maroons came into the matchup trailing the Panthers by one game in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) standings. Roanoke loaded the bases in the first inning but couldn't score. An inning later, the Maroons would get an RBI base hit and that was all they needed as the Roanoke pitching allowed just a single hit by Ferrum en route to a 1-0 win. Four in the first, of game two, would see the Maroons race out to an early lead. Up five runs in the bottom of the sixth, a bases clearing double would end the game early as Roanoke swept the Panthers, 10-2, taking over fifth place in the ODAC standings.
Highlights:
- Meri Bostic singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Shanan Hester drew a free pass and Rachel Sirbaugh walked to load the bases. However, the Panthers were able to wiggle out of trouble to keep the Maroons of the board.
- In the second, Roanoke would use a Riley Croghan base hit to set up a run. Bostic laced a single to center to plate Croghan and Roanoke was in front.
- Roanoke would get runners on base in five of their six at bats but could only score the one run against the Panthers.
- One run was all that Jada Karnes would need. The junior struck out eight and only allowed three base runners (two walks and one hit) picking up the shut-out win, her 17th win of the season. Hester drew a pair of walks and was 1-1 while Bostic and Croghan combined to go 4-6 with a run and the game winning RBI.
The Basics
Score: #20 Roanoke 10 | Ferrum 2 (6 innings)
Records: Maroons 24-10 / 10-6 ODAC | Panthers 19-13 / 9-7 ODAC
Location: Salem, Va.
Highlights:
- The Maroons used a 5-4-3 double play to get out of a first inning jam. In the bottom half, a pair of walks would set the table for a Hester RBI single to right field. After Madison Courts was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded. Kate Houle added to the lead with an infield single and after a Makayla Austin single to left center, Roanoke had taken a 4-0 lead.
- Houle plated Hester in the second to grow the lead to 5-0.
- After giving up a run in the top half, Roanoke put two more on the board in the home half of the fourth. Hester walked and would jog around the bases when Courts sent a bomb over the left field fence, giving RC a 7-1 advantage.
- A Panther sacrifice fly would close the gap by one, 7-2. Houle and Austin would single and a perfectly placed Lilly Burns bunt would load the bases. Sirbaugh sent everyone home early with a bases clearing double to deep center field as Roanoke passed Ferrum in the conference standings with a 10-2, 6-inning, victory.
- Hester got the win, going four innings, allowing four hits and a run. At the plate, Hester was once again 1-1 adding a pair of runs and an RBI. Houle was 3-4 while Austin went 2-4 with a pair of RBI. Courts and Sirbaugh made the most of their two combined hits as the duo scored two runs and drove in five.
Up next: The Maroons travel to Eastern Mennonite over the weekend to wrap up the regular season.
