Posted: Mar 28, 2010
Roanoke softball split with Virginia Wesleyan and swept Randolph-Macon this weekend in ODAC action. The Maroons are now 20-3 on the season and clinched its 12th-straight 20-win season. The
Virginia Wesleyan ignited a 10-run first inning en route to a 10-1 win over the Maroons in five innings. It was only the third loss of the season for Roanoke, which entered the game with a 17-2 overall record.
Roanoke averted a shutout in the first game when Jessica Zeman singled and scored two outs later on a Felice Lowery single to left center.
The Marlins connected for six of their seven hits in the first inning. In addition to Megan Stephens' grand slam, the Marlins also recorded a double from Brenae Pettit and singles from Chelsea Henline, Kristy White, Jaclyn Quinn and Brianna Bertovich.
Kelsey Ruitenberg (5-1) took the loss in the pitching circle in game one. Gretchen Wolfe, who pitched the final 3.1 innings for the Maroons, struck out six batters and allowed just one hit in relief.
Lisa Scruggs recorded two singles for Roanoke, followed by Sara Caudle with a single of her own.
Brittaney Brown improved to 10-4 with the pitching win for the Marlins. She faced 13 batters in three innings, striking out one and allowing just four hits and one earned run. Christina Crawford pitched the final two innings and struck out two batters, giving up just one hit.
VWC and Roanoke were deadlocked at five runs each through five innings in the second game, but the Maroons came up with a four-run sixth to salvage a split with a 9-5 win in the second game at Marlins Field.
Scruggs also had two hits for the Maroons in the second game, including one in Roanoke's four-run sixth in the 9-5 game two win. That inning started with singles from Meghan Weingard, Alea Bier and Lowery, along with a walk and a Marlin error.
Lowery led Roanoke going 3-for-4 with two RBI, followed by Zeman and Bier with two singles each.
Rexrode (5-1) pitched the first 4.1 innings for Roanoke, striking out four batters. Ruitenberg earned her third save of the season, striking out and walking three batters and allowed one hit in 2.2 innings.
Roanoke used big first innings to sweep Randolph-Macon, 4-1 and 11-0 on Sunday afternoon.
Lis Norwich highlighted a four-run first inning with a two-RBI single to give the Maroons the early 4-0 advantage.
Randolph-Macon starting pitcher Heather Lewis would settle in after the first inning, allowing no runs and just four hits for the remainder of the game.
Nanny led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and later scored on an RBI-double by Kelly Beard to cut the Maroons lead to 4-1.
Lewis took the loss for the Yellow Jackets after allowing four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts.
Roanoke was paced at the plate by Norwich (3-1) who finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and two stolen bases. She also picked up the win after giving up just one run on five hits with six strikeouts.
Leona Rainey and Ruitenberg had two singles to pace Roanoke. Rainey has 17 stolen bases on the year, three shy of seventh on the single-season list at Roanoke, 10th on the all-time list.
The Maroons also used a big first inning in game two, this time scoring five runs on three hits and three Yellow Jacket errors.
RC tacked on two runs in the fourth and four runs in the fifth on the way to an 11-0 win in five innings.
Wolfe (4-0) earned the win for Roanoke, giving up no runs and two hits with seven strikeouts. For the weekend, she finished with 13 strikeouts, giving her 25 on the year.
Beard is stuck with the loss after allowing three earned runs and striking out two in four innings of work.
Zeman went 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Maroons, followed by Ruitenberg and Hollee Warlitner, going 2-for-3. Ruitenberg's RBI in the contest moved her into fifth on the career list with 129. Her three saves this season ties a single-season record at Roanoke, while her four career saves are two shy of tying the all-time mark.
The women will host Bridgewater in ODAC action on Tuesday, March 30. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Moyer Complex.
