LYNCHBURG, Va. -- It was definitely a happy birthday for Virginia Wesleyan College softball coach Brandon Elliott on Saturday.

He watched his streaking No. 24 ranked  Marlin squad win its 18th and 19th consecutive games with an Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of the host WildCats of Randolph College, 10-2 and 8-0.

Virginia Wesleyan's 19-game winning streak is the second longest in program history and improves the Marlins' current record to 27-4.  VWC is also 11-0 in ODAC competition heading into another league doubleheader on Sunday, April 7, at Lynchburg College (20-5) beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The Marlins cranked out a combined 20 hits in the two games, with seven notching extra bases. There were five home run shots, including two each by juniors Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) and Lindsay Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield) and another byKelly Keys (Manassas/Osbourn Park).  The five homers increase VWC's program record total to 30, led by Higginbotham with 12, one shy of the Marlin record of 13 set by Kelly Lupton in 2000.  Inzana has ripped seven, the third highest total, and Keys has recorded four.

Higginbotham belted both of her homers in the first game, beginning with a solo shot to left in the fourth that increased VWC's lead to 6-0.  She connected for a four-bagger to center field in the sixth, driving in three runs to give the Marlins a 10-2 lead.  Her hit scored Kayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville), who walked, and Andrea Shannon (Newville, Pa./Big Spring), who singled.

The Marlins took the lead in the second inning with a five-run surge, highlighted by a two-run single to right by sophomore Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods).  Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) belted an RBI double in the inning, Shannon added an RBI single and Dost recorded an RBI sacrifice fly to right.

Randolph (21-9) averted the shutout with a two-run fourth inning helped by four hits, highlighted by a double by Patti Vinson (Williamsburg/Lafayette.

Karagiorgis (11-2) won her eighth straight game, working four innings in the pitching circle for the Marlins, striking out one batter, walking two and giving up seven hits and two earned runs.  Rookie Mary Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial) pitched the final two innings and struck out three.  She allowed just one walk and one hit.

Logan Carter (Richmon/Midlothian) dropped to 8-6 pitching for the 'Cats.  She fanned three batters in four innings, walked one and gave up six hits and one earned run.  Jess Sanabria (Burgaw, N.C./Pender) finished.

Higginbotham, Keys, Inzana and Shannon all had two hits each for VWC.  Sanabria led Randolph with a pair of singles.

Junior MacKenzie Creech (13-2) won her 11th consecutive game in the second contest.  She struck out a season-high nine batters in only four innings of work.  Creech allowed just two hits and did not allow a walk or a run.  Shipp pitched the final inning of the five-inning game and gave up just one hit.

The Marlins pinned just the second loss of the season on Randolph starting pitcher Kristen Hutchinson (Rockville, Md./Richard Montgomery) who is now 9-2.  She faced 29 batters, struck out three and gave up three walks, nine hits and eight earned runs.

Higginbotham and Karagiorgis both connected for two hits to lead VWC.  Rachel Hickman (St. Albans, W.Va./St. Albans) led Randolph with two hits.

VWC took control of the second game with a four-run second inning, all scored with two outs. Dost kept the Marlins alive in the inning with a single, followed by and RBI double by Shannon and a RBI single by Higginbotham.  The big blast followed when Keys homered to center field to score two.

The Marlins scored at least one run in each of the last four innings to pull away for the victory.

--AMDG--