FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. --- Roanoke split four games in the Methodist Early Bird Invitational this weekend. The Maroons fell to #11 Salisbury, 4-0 and shutout North Carolina Wesleyan, 8-0 on Friday. Today, the women knocked off Wilson College, 9-5 but lost to #9 Christopher Newport in the final game, 5-0.

 

In the opening game of the tournament, Salisbury's Erika Brittingham pitched a no-hitter and struck out 14 batters against Roanoke in the season-opener. Lis Norwich (0-1) took the loss for the Maroons, but Gretchen Wolfe pitched five innings of relief, striking out five before Abbie Rexrode went the final 1.1 innings and closed with two strikeouts.

 

The Maroons bounced back in the second game on Friday behind Rexrode who pitched a complete game shutout victory over NC Wesleyan in five innings. She finished with six strikeouts while allowing only two hits and one walk.

 

Roanoke pulled away with a five-run first inning highlighted by Sara Caudle's two-run homer to left field. In the fourth, Lisa Scruggs hit a solo home run to right field followed by a two-run fifth as Janie Holmes hit a double and was brought home by Caudle. Caudle was brought home by Katherine Kouri who singled down the left field line for the final run.

 

Scruggs and Caudle collected two hits and scored twice while delivering two and three RBI's, respectively.

 

In the first game on Saturday, Roanoke reeled off 11 hits and scored a weekend-best nine runs en route to victory over Wilson College. Stephanie Clark (1-0) picked up the win in relief, finishing with six strikeouts and allowed only two hits and a walk in four innings. Abbie Rexrode went the final three innings, striking out seven batters.

 

Roanoke tacked on two runs before Wilson scored four in the bottom of the first inning to take the two-run lead. Scruggs sparked a four-run second inning, as she brought home Leona Rainey and Kouri off a single to centerfield to go back on top, 6-4.

 

The Maroons defense allowed only one run the rest of the way as they put three insurance runs on the scoreboard over the final five innings.

 

Scruggs finished 3-for-4 with a double, three runs and three RBI. Caudle had two doubles and two RBI while Devon Briney finished 2-for-3 in the morning game.

 

Against CNU, Roanoke out-hit the Captains, 7-4, but committed three errors in the field which led to two of five third-inning runs for the ninth-ranked team in the nation.

 

Wolfe (0-1) took the loss for Roanoke, allowing only three hits and struck out four in 2.1 innings. Rexrode came in relief and finished with three strikeouts and one hit in 3.2 innings of work.

 

For the weekend, Caudle and Scruggs collected six hits each. Caudle batted .545 with three doubles, three runs, a home run and five RBI's. Scruggs added a team-best five runs, a double, a home run and five RBI's.

 

Kouri went 3-for-7 for the tournament while Rainey finished with three hits, three runs and two stolen bases.

 

The women play against tournament-host Methodist on Sunday in a doubleheader to end their weekend trip. Game time is at 1 p.m.