ORLANDO, FL – The #5 ranked Roanoke College softball team won a pair of games on the first day of the Rebel Games in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday.  The Maroons defeated Muskingum in the morning game, 7-5, and then beat Beloit College 10-0 in five innings in the afternoon.  The Maroons now have a record of 8-2.

The Maroons got off to a quick start in their first game of the day, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning.  Leona Rainey and Alea Bier were walked in the first two at-bats.  Hollee Warlitner grounded out as the next batter, but allowed Rainey to score the first run.  Stephanie Clark then hit an RBI single to give Roanoke a 2-0 lead.  Muskingum answered in the bottom of the inning when Jaclynn Hess hit a two run home run to tie the game at 2-2.

The Muskies poured on two more runs in the bottom of the second inning, as Hannah Reese reached on a fielding error, scoring Kelly Martin.  The next batter, Apryl Patterson hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Courtney Allen and giving Muskingium a 4-2 lead through two innings.  Meagan Weingard cut into the deficit by hitting a solo home run to center field in the top of the fourth inning, to bring Roanoke within one, 4-3.  In the top of the fifth, Alea Bier scored her second run of the contest after reaching on a double, tying the game at 4-4.

Muskingum reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth, as Jessica Saporito hit an RBI double to score Hess from second.  After five, the Muskies had a 5-4 lead.  In the top of the sixth Rainey hit an RBI single, allowing Caitlyn Manual to score, tying the game at 5-5.  The Maroons tagged on two more runs in the top of the seventh, as Alexis Roop and Weingard hit RBI singles, giving Roanoke a two-run lead.   The Maroons were able to hold off the Muskies and win their first game of the Orlando trip, 7-5.

Rainey and Weingard led the Maroons in hitting, both with two hits on the afternoon.  Beir scored a team high two runs, while Warlitner and Weingard both had two RBIs.  Kelly Higbie (4-1) picked up the victory, giving up five runs off 11 hits, and striking out four.

In the second game of the day, Roanoke put up early runs on Beloit College.  In the bottom of the first, Rainey scored off of a fielding error during Warlitner's at-bat.  Alexis Roop knocked in Warlitner to give Roanoke a 2-0 lead after the first inning.

In the bottom of the second, with two outs, Rainey hit a double to get the ball rolling.  Bier reached base on an error, to be followed by an RBI single from Warlitner.  Stephanie Clark followed it up with a two RBI double.  To top it all off, Alexis Roop hit a two RBI home run to center field to put Roanoke ahead 7-0 after two innings.  The Maroons scored three more runs in the fourth inning, and blanked the Buccaneers for a 10-0 win in five innings.

Alexis Roop led the Maroons in hitting in the afternoon contest, going 3-3, scoring one run and five RBIs.  Four other Roanoke players had two hits, while Hollee Warlitner had a team high three runs.  Stephanie Clark (4-1) pitched a complete game, posting a shutout with seven strikeouts.

The Maroons return to action on Wednesday, March 6^th as they play another pair of games in Orlando, Florida.  They will take on Bluffton University and Aurora University on Wednesday afternoon.
 
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