CLAREMONT, Calif. - Virginia Wesleyan ended its California road trip on an uptick Thursday as the Marlins used the clutch hitting that had eluded them in their first three games out West to power past Pomona-Pitzer 8-3.

An RBI single by Tori Higginbotham (Gen Allen, Va./J.R. Tucker) and a run-scoring double from Jaclyn Quinn (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory) capped a five-run fourth inning uprising that erased a 1-0 deficit and dealt the Sagehens their first loss in nine games.

"The kids bought in, and once we got through the lineup a couple of times, started getting the big hits we weren't getting in our other games out here," Marlins coach Brandon Elliott said.

Kelly Keys' double and Brianna Bertovich's two-run double in the seventh sealed the deal for the Marlins (12-6), who won for the first time in four games on their West Coast trip. Walks, untimely errors and stranding runners proved the Marlins' undoing in the first three games, but Elliott believes the much-sharper performance against Pomona-Pitzer is a better indication of what kind of team he has.

"After this trip I believe we can play with any team in the country, and I think our kids feel the same way," Elliott said.

Bertovich (Richmond, Va./Monacan) also drove in the first run in the Marlins' five-run fourth by getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Heather Bishop (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) then scored when Virginia Scatchard (Mathews, Va./Mathews) reached on a fielder's choice. Keys (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) added the third run on an RBI groundout from Megan Zahnd before Higginbotham and Quinn delivered their key hits.

Lindsey Izana (Chesapeake, Va./Grassfield) allowed only two hits in five innings and worked around five walks to get the win. MacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C../Orange) pitched the final two innings and allowed only one earned run.

The Marlins will return to action on Tuesday, March 27, with a doubleheader at Randolph-Macon.