DANVILLE, Va. -- After the host Averett University's Cougars used a home run in the final inning of the first game to steal a win, the visiting Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan College used a grand slam in the first inning of the second game to establish a big lead.

The No. 25-ranked Marlins never lost that lead and posted a 7-1 victory, following Averett's 5-4 upset win in the first contest.

Rookie Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn, Va./Briar Woods) clobbered the ball to center field to score four runs for the Marlins (1-1).  She drove in seniorsJaclyn Quinn (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) andBrianna Bertovich (Richmond, Va./Monacan), who both reached base on errors, and sophomore Season Dailey (Norfolk, Va./Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox), who boarded via a fielder's choice.

Virginia Wesleyan added a solo run in the fourth when sophomore Kelly Keys (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) belted a two-out double and eventually scored on consecutive walk to sophomores Megan Zahnd (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) and Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen, Va./J.R. Tucker), and an RBI walk to Quinn.

Averett got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, but Virginia Wesleyan tacked on two more in the top of the sixth when Dailey belted a two-run single through the right side.

The Marlins left nine runners on base in the game, while Averett had 13 stranded.  Karagiorgis pitched for the Marlins, striking out six, walking seven, and allowing five hits and one earned run.  Zahnd led VWC's eight-hit offense with a pair of singles.

Virginia Wesleyan led 4-1 entering the bottom of the final inning in the opener, but saw it all slip away when the Cougars produced a three-hit inning.  Lauren Averitt (Denver, N.C./North Lincoln) drew a walk, Emily Dunford (Richmond, Va./J. R. Tucker) singled, and Leah Gibson (Belmont, N.C./South Point) doubled to left to score two.  With one out, Brooke Hensley (Mayodan, N.C./McMichael) ended the game with a two run homer to left center.

Sophomore MacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) was in the pitching circle for the Marlins.  She struck out four batters, walked five and allowed eight hits and five earned runs.  Leah Powell (Midlothian, Va./James River) took the pitching win over Averett, fanning five, walking three and giving up eight hits and one earned run.

Quinn connected for three hits in the opener for VWC.  Higginbotham belted a home run to start the third inning for the Marlins.  Dunford and Gibson led Averett with two hits each.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Tuesday, Feb. 28, playing a twinbill at the University of Mary Washington at 3 p.m.

--AMDG--