EMORY, Va. -- Softball teams are understanding not to count on a slow start by Virginia Wesleyan College to mean much of anything.

Emory & Henry College's Wasps, who were sporting a 13-3 record entering Sunday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader with the No.7 ranked Marlins, held VWC scoreless in the top of the first inning and then jumped on the opportunity to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the same inning.

That would turn out to be the Wasps' only lead in either game.

Virginia Wesleyan tied the first game with a two-run second inning and pulled away with a five-run fourth inning to post a 10-2 victory in five innings.  After a scoreless first inning in the second game, the Marlins produced a six-run second inning to create distance and went on to a 10-1, five-inning victory to sweep.

Virginia Wesleyan (18-2, 7-1 ODAC) pounded out a combined 26 hits, while the pitching of MacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange), Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods), Mary Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial) and the Marlin defense limited the Wasps to a total of seven in the twinbill.

Creech faced only 21 batters in five innings in the circle in the first game, improving to 9-0 overall.  She struck out five, increasing her season total to 57, while scattering just three hits and allowing two runs.  Karagiorgis worked four innings in the second game to pick up the win and improve to 8-2.  She fanned four batters, increasing her season total to 55, giving up just four hits.  Shipp entered for one inning and struck out one of only three batters she faced.

Sophomore Kayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville) sparked VWC hitting throughout the doubleheader, connecting for hits twice in three times at bat in the first game and all three times at the plate in the second game.  She drove in five runs, highlighted by a two-run home run in the opener. 

Senior Andrea Shannon (Newville, Pa./Big Spring) also homered in the first game, knocking out a two-run homer in a three-run fifth inning for the Marlins.  She recorded four RBI in the contest overall.  Sophomore Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) belted a double and senior Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) connected for a triple.

Taylor Doss (Damascus/Halston) highlighted hitting for E&H (13-5, 0-4 ODAC) in the opener with two run home run in the first inning. Jordan Chrisley (Dublin/Pulaski County) smacked a double for the Wasps in the second game.

VWC's 13 hits in the second game included six for extra bases, including a Higginbotham home run in the fourth inning, her fourth of the season. Shannon came through with a triple and Courtney Bogan (Round Hill/Woodgrove), Season Dailey (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox), Lindsay Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield), and Galvin all hit a double each.

The Marlins are scheduled to play again on Wednesday, March 26, in a non-conference twinbill at Averett University.

--AMDG--