Posted: Apr 27, 2013
The Maroons are still eligible for an at-large bid to the 2013 NCAA DIII Softball Tournament, after being featured in the NFCA Top-25 for the greater part of the season. Salem will not host the NCAA DIII Championships this year, but it will be the host city of one of the NCAA DIII Regional Tournaments.
Despite falling out of the ODAC Tournament, the Maroons put up impressive numbers not only this season, but also over some players careers as well. Two-time NCAA All-American Leona Rainey broke the ODAC career stolen bases record earlier this season. The previous mark was 108 set over the 1999-02 season by Stacy Wright of Emory & Henry, but Rainey finished 2013 with 125 stolen bases. Rainey also ranks first All-Time at Roanoke in on base percentage (.497), second in batting average (.427) and third in hits (214). She also ranks first, second and third in single-season stolen bases for the Maroons with a top mark of 41 in 2012.
Senior Alea Bier also currently sits second all-time at Roanoke in four statistical categories: walks (75), chances (939), putouts (760), and double plays turned (25). She is also tied for fifth all-time in stolen bases (44). Pitcher Kelly Higbie, in just her sophomore year, still ranks among the top in the Roanoke College all-time lists. She is second all time in Wins (46), starts (64), complete games (50) and innings pitched (411.0)
The Eagles put Roanoke behind early in the bottom of the first inning. With two runners on base, Melanie Lamb hit a three-run blast over the center field wall to take an early 3-0 lead. Bridgewater scored another run in the bottom of the second inning, as Karie Burgess hit an RBI single to right field, plating Leigh Lam, but Hollee Warlitner was able to throw out the trailing Kasey Anderson at home for the final out of the inning.
The Eagles posted four more runs in the fourth inning, as Brooke Throckmorton hit an RBI single to left field, scoring Sarah Goodman. In the very next at bat, Melanie Lamb hit a three run home run, to take a 8-0 lead over the Maroons.
Roanoke put up a run in the top of the fifth inning, staying alive in the contest. The first two batters, Kelly Higbie and Meghan Weingard, walked and singled, respectively. Leona Rainey hit an RBI single to center field, plating Morgan Wood who entered as a pinch runner. After the top of the fifth, Roanoke trailed by seven, 8-1. However, the Eagles were able to hold off the Maroons, knocking Roanoke out of the ODAC Tournament.
The Maroons finished the contest with five hits, one each from Leona Rainey, Alea Bier, Stephanie Clark, Caitlin Manuel and Meghan Weingard. Roanoke finished with one run, scored by Morgan Wood, with an RBI by Rainey. Kelly Higbie was tabbed with the loss, giving up five runs off seven hits, striking out one.
The Eagles posted 13 hits, led by Melanie Lamb, who went 3-4 on the day, with two runs scored and six RBIs. Four different players finished with two hits each. Heather Jenkins pitched the complete game, giving up one run off five hits, striking out three.
The Maroons will have to wait until the 2013 NCAA Division III Selection Show, which will take place on May 6th at 10:00 AM, to find out if they make the tournament.
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