Posted: Apr 24, 2012
Roanoke is 26-4 all time against Randolph, with the four losses all coming within the last four years. The two times these teams met in 2011, the Maroons won both contests by a score of 7-0 and 11-1.
In the first game, it was the Maroons who jumped on the board early, scoring three big runs in the second inning. The runs scored off RBI hits from Hollee Warlitner and Katherine Kouri, and an RBI ground out by Alexis Roop. The Wildcats scored in the top of the third, but the Maroons responded in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own. Two-time ODAC Player of the Week, Alicia Lowery hit a sacrifice fly ball that scored Alea Bier, and brought the Roanoke lead to 4-1.
In the top of the fourth Brittney Via scored to bring Randolph within two, 4-2. Two innings later, the Wildcats had Roanoke on the ropes, scoring one run off an error to cut the deficit to one, 4-3. Then, Randolph loaded the bases with no outs, as Roanoke played the force out at home for the first out. The Maroons tried the same play in for the second out, but an error at home allowed Mollie Kerns to score and tie the game at 4-4. The next batter hit into a double play, allowing Roanoke to walk away from the top of the sixth with nothing worse than a tie.
The Maroons reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Kelly Higbie knocked a two RBI single through the infield to score Roop and Kouri, making the score 6-4. Roanoke held off Randolph in the top of the seventh to win game one, 6-4.
Bier and Caitlin Manuel led the Maroons with two hits in the contest. Higbie was just one for two, but led the team with two RBIs. She also pitched the complete game, improving her season record to 21-8. Higbie gave up four runs off four hits, striking out two.
In the second game, the Maroons scored with their first batter, Leona Rainey. Rainey was walked in four straight pitches, stole second and third, then reached home on an error. Bier scored as well in the inning, giving Roanoke a 2-0 lead after the first.
Roanoke held the 2-0 lead until the top of the third inning when Brittany Willingham hit a home run down the left field line. The Willingham round-tripper brought the Wildcats back within one, 2-1.
Warlitner hit an RBI double and Stephanie Clark scored on a wild pitch to put the Maroons up 4-1 after three. Roanoke held off Randolph for the remaining four innings to take game number two 4-1.
The Maroons only put up two hits in the contest to the Wildcats' six, with Warlitner and Lowery picking up those two hits. Stephanie Clark earned the win pitching four innings giving up one run on two hits, and striking out two.
Higbie pitched the final three innings of the contest earning the save. Her three innings were also enough to claim the single-season innings pitched record with 185.1 innings pitched. This new record breaks the previous record set by Amy Layman in 2001 with 185.0 innings pitched.
The Maroons will return to action in the ODAC Softball Tournament held in Salem, VA at the Moyer Complex. The tournament will run from April 27-29th and will feature the top eight softball teams from around the ODAC. The final ODAC contests take place Wednesday, April 25th and seeds will be announced shortly thereafter.
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