SWEET BRIAR, Va. -- Kristina Karagiorgis, better known as "K. K.", has been living up to her nickname in the pitching circle. 

The rookie from Ashburn, Va. (Briar Woods) threw her second consecutive no-hitter Thursday striking out 12 and helping lead the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins (6-2) to an early season sweep of the visiting Vixens from Sweet Briar College (0-2).

Karagiorgis once again ignited a potent Marlin offense going 4-for-5 at the plate, including her third grand slam of the season, driving in a total of seven runs.  Sophomores Season Dailey (Norfolk, Va./Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox), Kelly Keys (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) and Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen, Va./J.R. Tucker) also homered on the day for the Marlins, who exploded for 26 hits en route to scoring 44 runs between the 17-0 and 23-0 game scores.

The Marlins jumped on the board early when Dailey blasted her first home run of the season, a three run shot, scoring Higginbotham and seniors Brianna Bertovich (Richmond, Va./Monacan) and Jaclyn Quinn (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory), who walked earlier in the bottom half of the first inning. 

The offensive production did not stop there however, as Keys' two-run home run to left center field highlighted a seven-run second inning, which included singles from senior Brenae Pettit (Onancock, Va./Nandua), Higginbotham, Bertovich and Karagiorgis. 

The Marlins carried the momentum into the third inning when Karagiorgis connected on her team leading third homerun to center field, which capped a six run inning.  Karagiorgis and Keys had two hits each to lead the Marlins who tallied ten hits as a team.

Higginbotham got things started in game two blasting a solo homerun to center field in the bottom half of a four-run first inning. Karagiorgis, Dailey, Keys and senior Heather Bishop (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) all had hits in the inning. 

The run support was all that sophomore pitcher Sara Erlichman (Bedford, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) needed to get her first win as a Marlin. She kept the Vixens off balance through five innings by striking out four, walking none and allowing just one single from freshman Elizabeth Snyder in the top half of the second inning. 

The Marlins took control of the game in the bottom half of inning plating thirteen runs on seven hits which were scattered around four walks and two hit batsman.  VWC would plate three more runs in both the third and fourth innings led by Bertovich and Bishop who had three hits each.

Six Marlins cashed in with multiple hits on the day led by Bertovich, Karagiorgis and Keys with four each.

The Marlins are back in action on Sunday, March 11 as they travel to Emory, Va. to take on ODAC foe Emory & Henry College.   First pitch is scheduled at 12:30.

--AMDG--