FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Any anxiousness experienced by the Virginia Wesleyan College softball team on its way to face the University of Mary Washington Eagles without senior leader MacKenzie Creech was relieved in the early innings of the first game.

Junior pitcher Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods) was one of several Marlins who came through with all-star efforts to overcome the absence of Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) and lead No. 8 ranked Virginia Wesleyan to a non-conference sweep of the Eagles, 10-1 in five innings and 8-1 in seven.

The victories improved VWC's record to 20-2, marking the seventh straight 20+ season for the Marlins. Mary Washington, tagged as one of the top teams in the Capital Athletic Conference this season, dropped to 7-6.

With Creech out of the lineup nursing a pulled muscle, Karagiorgis started in the pitching circle and was steady from start to finish.  She picked up back-to-back wins to improve to 10-2 on the season, working nine innings overall.  Karagiorgis struck out nine batters, increasing her season total to 64.  She also walked four and scattered eight hits in the two games, while allowing just one run.

Karagiorgis complemented her pitching with hitting, finishing 4-for-6 for the day, driving in a pair of runs.  She was just part of a hard-hitting offense that produced 23 hits that helped the Marlins to lead from start to finish in both games.

Sophomore Kayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville) cranked out her third home run of the season, recording a four-bagger for the third consecutive doubleheader. She finished 3-for-7 at the plate, recording three RBI. Dost ripped the homer to lead off the seventh inning of the second contest.

Seniors Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) and Lindsey Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield) also contributed to the big-hit output, combining for five RBI.  Higginbotham hit 4-for-8 overall, belting out two triples in the first game, one in the third inning and the other in the fifth. Inzana hit 3-for-5 overall, hitting two doubles, including one in the top of the fifth inning of the first game to drive in two runs.

Senior Season Dailey (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox) added to the extra-base hit production with a double in the third inning of the second contest.

Sophomore Mary Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial) and Inzana entered the competition to relieve Karagiorgis in the circle. Shipp pitched in one inning in each contest and gave up nothing to three batters she faced in the opener. She faced six in the second game and struck out two batters and gave up three hits and one run. Inzana threw in one inning of the first game and allowed two hits.

Erin Stinson (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) took the loss for the Eagles in the opener, dropping to 0-2, and Hannah Otterman (Roanoke/Patrick Henry) absorbed her first loss of the season in the second game, falling to 6-1 overall. She struck out four batters, walked six and was tagged for 10 hits.

Brittany Scites (Stafford/Mountain View) hit 3-for-3 in the first game for UMW. Six different Eagles recorded a single each in the second contest.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Sunday, March 30, in Old Dominion Athletic Conference competition at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va.  The doubleheader starts at 1 p.m.

--AMDG--