SALISBURY, Md. -- Twenty-nine hits helped produce 27 runs for Virginia Wesleyan College's softball Marlins, who closed competition in the Sea Gull Invitational with a pair of victories to finish 4-0 in the event hosted by Salisbury University.

The Marlins (12-4), who finished 4-0 in the Beach Blast tournament the weekend before the SU tournament, posted a 10-2 victory over Pennsylvania's Washington & Jefferson College and a 17-3 win over New York's Baruch College. On the first day of the tournament the Marlins defeated Maryland's Frostburg State University 6-2 and New York's Geneseo State University 7-5.

VWC never trailed against Washington & Jefferson, taking control with a two-run first inning.  The Marlins opened up a 3-0 lead with a five-run fourth inning that opened with walks to Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker), Kelly Keys (Manassas/Osbourn Park) and Kristina Karagorigis (Ashburn/Briar Woods).  JuniorLindsey Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield)and rookies Courtney Bogan (Round Hill/Woodgrove) and Lillie Kimble (Meadows of Dan/Hillsville Carroll County) followed with RBI singles to help drive up the score.

Washington & Jefferson averted the shutout with a solo run in the bottom of the fourth inning, before VWC tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fifth.  Senior Chelsea Henline (Chesapeake/Great Bridge), rookie Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) and Keys all stroked singles in the inning.

In game two Baruch took the lead with two runs in the top of the first inning, only to see the Marlins come back in the bottom of the inning with a six-run surge.  VWC ripped seven hits in the inning, including a double by Inzana.

Virginia Wesleyan virtually put the game away with a seven-run second inning.  The Marlins belted six hits in the inning, highlighted by a lead-off double by Keys.

The Marlins connected for 18 hits against the Bearcats from New York City, led by Keys with a 3-for-3 showing at the plate, including a double.  Rookie Kayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville) knocked out a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

Inzana improved to 3-0 in the pitching circle after working three innings.  She struck out three batters, walked one and allowed four hits and two earned runs.  Kimble closed, pitching two innings and striking out two.  She gave up only two hits.

Junior MacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) picked up the pitching win against Washington & Jefferson and improved to 5-2. She struck out two, walked one and gave up three hits and two earned runs in four innings. Rookie Mary Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial) closed.

Keys and Karagiorgis both topped Marlins' hitting in the four-game tournament with 8-of-12 showings.  Keys' hits included three doubles and a home run, while Karagiorgis swatted a pair of doubles.  Bogan and Higginbotham both finished with six hits each.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Saturday, March 16, in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader at Guilford College starting at noon.

--AMDG--