LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College softball team couldn’t hold on to a 4-1 lead in game one, falling 6-4 in the opener but bounced back to knock off Lynchburg College 8-0 in five innings in the nightcap of an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader Thursday evening from the Randolph Softball Field.
In the opener, the WildCats (12-8/1-1 ODAC) surrendered a run in the top of the first inning, but starter Kristen Hutchinson (Rockville, MD/Richard Montgomery) did a good job of limiting the damage after having the bases loaded with none out. Randolph responded with four in the bottom of the first, chasing LC starter Amber Ingram from the game after only a third of an inning.
In that stanza, the WildCats had RBI hits from senior Gina Pagano (Hopewell, NJ/Hopewell Valley) and first-year Chassity Ferry (Melfa, VA/Nandua). LC came right back with two in the second inning the make the score 3-2, with both runs coming in after a double from Megan Fredenberg. The score stayed there until three unearned runs in the top of the sixth doomed the WildCats.
Errors were the story for the WildCats in game one, as Randolph committed three which led to five unearned runs. Randolph is now 0-5 when committing two or more miscues in a game.
Junior Ashley Gardner (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge) had four hits in four at-bats in game one, while Lauren Stevenson (Virginia Beach, VA/Tallwood) and Pagano each had a pair of knocks. Hope Johnson (Lynchburg, VA/Brookville) did a great job in relief for Lynchburg (8-10/1-1 ODAC), going six and two-thirds innings, scattering eight hits but allowing no runs.
In game two, the WildCats wasted no time redeeming themselves for the missed opportunity in the opener. Randolph scored three in the bottom of the first, two coming on a RBI single from Pagano. After single runs in the second and third from Randolph, the WildCats ended the game in the fifth on a walk-off two-run single from Brittney Via (Charlottesville, VA/Monticello).
Stevenson had three hits and three runs in game two for Randolph, while Brittany Willingham (Glen Burnie, MD/Glen Burnie) added two hits in three at-bats. Samantha Thacker (Madison Heights, VA/Holy Cross) stayed hot at the plate, going two-for-three with a RBI and runs scored.
All the offense was plenty for first-year pitcher Jess Sanabria (Burgaw, NC/Pender), as the WildCat rookie tossed a complete game shutout, allowing three hits while fanning two. The victory was the WildCats third in four attempts against Lynchburg, after falling in all of the previous 26 tries.
The WildCats will end its 12-game home stand on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Randolph-Macon College at 1 p.m. on the Randolph Softball Field.