SWEET BRIAR, Va. – The Sweet Briar College softball team (8-11, 1-5 ODAC) earned its first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win since 2009 with a 7-5 win over the Randolph College WildCats (5-13, 1-3 ODAC) in game two of this afternoon's doubleheader.
The Vixens came back to earn the victory after narrowly falling in the first game, 2-1.
Game One
After a scoreless first inning of action, the WildCats got on the board with a run crossing home plate in the top of the second.
An additional run in the top of the fourth would give the visitors the insurance needed for when a single to center field by sophomore
Victoria Tew (Hope Mills, N.C.) allowed first-year
Emily Roberts (Walkertown, N.C.) to cross home plate and cut the lead to one in the bottom of the inning.
Scoreless fifth, sixth and seventh innings resulted in Randolph taking game one by a narrow margin of 2-1.
Sophomore
Alyssa O'Quinn (Powhatan, Va.) got the start in the circle for Sweet Briar and struck out four through four innings.
In relief, first-year
Ambyre Taylor (Arrington, Va.) struck out five and gave up zero walks or earned runs throughout three innings.
At the plate, sophomore
Lauren Jamerson (Buckingham, Va.) led the team after going three-for-three while Tew had one RBI.
First-year catcher
Ciara Nauful (Forest, Va.) led all field players with nine putouts.
Game Two
The Vixens answered the WildCats' one-run top of the first with a five-run outing of their own. A double to left field from Taylor brought home two while singles from sophomore
Anna Smith (Rocky Mount, Va.) and first-year
Lacey Steppe (Charlotte County, Va.) helped secure additional runs.
A well-hit ball by sophomore
Kaydin Williams (Richlands, N.C.) forcing the WildCats to allow the runner score to get out also contributed to Sweet Briar's five-run bottom of the first.
While the visitors tried to gain momentum with a two-run second inning, sophomore
Kaylie Hudson (Lynchburg, Va.) hit her third home run of the season to swing the momentum back to the Vixens and give the team the 6-3 lead.
Randolph tacked on another run in the fourth, however, Sweet Briar followed that half-inning up with a tally from first-year
Jordan Martin (Wilmington, N.C.) on a fielder's choice play which kept Sweet Briar's lead at three.
Despite an additional score by the WildCats in the top of the fifth, a scoreless sixth and seventh innings would keep the score 7-5 in favor of the Vixens.
Smith got the start in the game and saw two innings of action. O'Quinn would throw 38 pitches through three innings to help Sweet Briar keep the lead. Taylor earned her second save of the season as she came in for the final two innings and struck out three while giving up no walks or earned runs.
Taylor and Jamerson both totaled two hits with Taylor recording two RBIs to lead the team. Defensively, first baseman Williams recorded six putouts.
Highlights
- With the victory in game two, Sweet Briar earned its first ODAC win since the team defeated Emory & Henry 6-1 on April 5, 2009.
- The Vixens defeated the WildCats for the first time since the 2008 season.
What's Next
The Vixens will hit the road for action against Averett on April 2nd and Roanoke on April 6th before returning home to face off against Bridgewater on April 7th.
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