VIRGINIA BEACH -- Virginia Wesleyan College's softball Marlins pounded out 20 hits Thursday en route to scoring 16 runs in a non-conference sweep of the University of Mary Washington at Marlins Field.

Virginia Wesleyan won the first game 5-0 and pinned an 11-3, five-inning loss on the Eagles in the second game as the Marlins extended their current winning streak to 15 consecutive games.  VWC is now 23-4 overall, while Mary Washington fell to 8-13.

The Marlins recorded seven hits in the opener, including a double each by Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods), Kelly Keys (Manassas/Osbourn Park), and Season Dailey (Norfolk/Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox), and a three-run home run by junior Lindsay Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield).  It was the fifth homer of the season for Inzana and the 22nd for the Marlins, just one shy of tying the program record of 23 set in 2011.

Virginia Wesleyan continued producing big hits in the second game, knocking out five doubles in a 13-hit offense. Rookie Hali Goad (Richmond/Louisa County) connected for two doubles, while Andrea Shannon (Newville, Pa./Big Spring), Kayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville), and Karagiorgis had one each. Dost and Goad drove in three runs each in the contest.

Both teams recorded seven hits in the first game, but Virginia Wesleyan's hitters came through for timely shots to help put runs on the scoreboard.  The Marlins took the lead in the bottom of the first inning when Karagiogis knocked out a double, scoring Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker), who led off with a single.

The Marlins used three hits in the bottom of the fourth to drive in two runs for a 3-0 lead.  Kelly Keys (Manassas/Osbourn Park) started the inning with a double and scored on an Inzana sacrifice.  Dailey followed with a double and scored when Courtney Bogan (Round Hill/Woodgrove) singled to center field.

Inzana capped scoring for the Marlins in the bottom of the sixth with her home run, scoring Karagiorgis, who walked earlier in the inning.

Dailey led VWC with two hits and Bireet Chitty (Stafford/Brooke Point) and Emily Briggs (Pylesville, Md./North Harford) finished with two hits each for UMW. 

Karagiorgis was the winning pitcher, striking out four batters and walking one in seven innings.  She gave up seven hits in the shutout, improving to 9-2 on the season.  Hanna Otterman (Roanoke/Patrick Henry) took the loss for the Eagles.  She fanned two, walked two and gave up seven hits and five earned runs.

Junior Mackenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) took the win for the Marlins in the second game after working three innings.  She struck out two, walked two and gave up three hits, improving her season record to 11-2.  Rookie Mary Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial) closed and allowed just two hits.  She struck out one and walked one.

Mary Washington started Annie Blaine (Arlington/Yorktown) in the pitching circle and brought in Ashton Ferneyhough (Charlottesville/Charlottesville).  They struck out one, walked three and gave up 13 hits and 11 earned runs.

UMW took a 2-0 lead in the first inning in the second game, but watched it wiped out when the Marlins responded with six runs in the bottom of the same inning.  The Marlins ripped five hits in the inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Dailey, a three-run double by Dost, and a RBI-double by Goad.

Virginia Wesleyan connected for five more hits in the bottom of the second inning, driving in four more runs to open up a 10-2 lead.

Ten Marlins recorded hits in the game, led by Bogan, Dost and Goad with two hits each. Chitty led UMW with two hits.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Wednesday, April 3, motoring to Rocky Mount, N.C. to face the Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan College in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.

--AMDG--