SWEET BRIAR, Va. – The Sweet Briar College softball team (2-0, 0-0 ODAC) opened its 2026 season with a sweep against the University of Mary Washington Eagles (0-2, 0-0 C2C), winning the first game 11-8 and the second game 13-8.
Game One
After three scoreless innings the game broke open in the top of the fourth when the Eagles put up five runs. Sweet Briar answered in the bottom half when first-year
Sophia Peterson (Ashland, Va.) led off with a double, junior
Ruby Hite (Clarksville, Va.) came on to pinch run, and scored due to a throwing error by the Eagles, cutting the deficit to 5–1.
Sweet Briar continued to chip away in the bottom of the sixth as Peterson, re-entering as a pinch hitter, ripped a leadoff double to center, and sophomore
Emily Cottingham (Chesterfield, Va.) came on to run. Sophomore
Abi Sawyers (Matthews, N.C.) followed with a single that turned into extra bases on an error in left, driving in Cottingham to make it 5–2. Later in the inning senior
Anna Smith (Rocky Mount, Va.) reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Sawyers to come home, bringing the Vixens within 5–3 after six.
In the seventh, senior
Alyssa O'Quinn (Powhatan, Va) kept Mary Washington off the board by inducing three quick outs, maintaining the two-run margin. Sweet Briar then continued the comeback in the bottom of the seventh when junior
Jordan Martin (Wilmington, N.C.) singled in the gap to get things started. Senior
Kaylie Hudson (Lynchburg, Va.) followed with a triple to right, scoring Martin to pull the Vixens within one at 5–4, and after a few walks and a hit-by-pitch, Sawyers drew a bases-loaded walk that forced home Hudson and tied the game 5–5.
In the top of the eighth Mary Washington was able to plate three runs making the score 8-5. In the bottom of the inning, Smith singled and first-year
Lexie Aiman (Stafford, Va.) took over as a pinch runner. Sophomore
Madeline Schmidt (Fluvanna, Va.) then singled up the middle to score Sawyers, cutting the lead to 8–6, and J. Martin followed with an RBI single that brought in Aiman, making it 8–7 and putting two runners on. Hudson then added a single to load the bases. In the game's defining moment, Taylor drilled a walk-off grand slam to left that sealed the Sweet Briar victory.
Game Two
In the top of the first, Mary Washington jumped in front with a 1-0 lead. The Vixens immediately countered in the bottom half as Martin doubled to center, and Hudson followed with an RBI double to left to score Martin and tie the game 1–1, before Taylor drilled a double to left to give the Vixens a 2–1 lead after one.
The Eagles were able to bring in two more runs in the top of the second to make the score 4-2. Sweet Briar again answered in the bottom of the second as Schmidt walked and Martin was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Hudson's RBI single to left that scored Schmidt to cut it to 7–3. With two outs, Taylor ripped her second double of the game, driving in two runs to make the score 7–5 after two.
In the bottom of the third, Sweet Briar took control as sophomore
Leila Atienza (Jacksonville, N.C.) and sophomore
Sydney Gibson (Fluvanna County, Va.) both singled, then Schmidt was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A defensive miscue by Mary Washington allowed Martin to reach on an error, scoring Atienza and trimming the margin to 7–6, and then Hudson reached on a fielder's choice that brought home Gibson to tie the game 7–7. Moments later, Peterson lined a single to left that drove in both Hudson and Schmidt, giving the Vixens their first multi-run lead of the day at 9–7.
After two scoreless innings by both teams, the Eagles were able to bring in one run in the top of the sixth to bring the score to 9-8. In the bottom of the sixth, the Vixens delivered the decisive blow. Sawyers led off with a double to center and Atienza singled to put runners at the corners before pinch runner Cottingham entered. Gibson then hammered a double to left that scored Cottingham and made it 10–8. With one out, Schmidt reached on an error by the pitcher and advanced all the way to third on two throws, bringing home both Aiman and Cottingham to extend the lead to 12–8. Later in the inning Hudson singled and drove in Schmidt to bring the lead to 13-8.
Highlights
- Taylor led the team with 7 RBI's between the two games.
- The Vixens had a total of 28 hits in today's doubleheader
What's Next
The Vixens will head to Greensboro on Feb. 26th
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