VIRGINIA BEACH -- Two innings, two at-bats for Tori Higginbotham who belted two home runs Sunday at Marlins Field.

Virginia Wesleyan College's two-time All-American ripped a shot over the left center field fence as the first Marlin at-bat against the Sweet Briar College Vixens. In the second inning she came back to the plate again and belted another homer, this one a two-run shot that helped blow the first game open.

The No. 8 ranked Marlins produced nine runs in the second inning en route to a 14-0 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) five-inning victory in the first game and completed a sweep with an 8-0 five-innign win in the second game.

Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) finished 3-for-3 in the first game, leading a 17-hit production by the Marlins (12-0, 2-0 ODAC), who connected for seven extra-base hits in the contest.  Junior Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods) belted a two-run double, senior Andrea Shannon (Newville, Pa./Big Spring) connected for an RBI-triple, and senior Lindsey Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield) drilled a three-run home over the center field fence. Sophomore Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) and Inzana also recorded a double each.

Inzana also pitched the last two innings for the Marlins and struck out one batter and allowed one hit.  Senior MacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) started and worked three innings, facing only nine batters.  She struck out five and improved to 7-0 in the pitching circle.  Inzana faced only seven batters.

Karagiorgis pitched in the second game and limited the Vixens (0-2) to one hit.  She faced 12 batters in five innings, struck out six, and gave up two walks.

Seven Marlins stroked a hit each in the second game, highlighted by doubles by rookie Blake Henderson (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) and Inzana.

NeNe Jones (Lynchburg/Heritage) recorded a hit for Sweet Briar in the first game and Hollie Halford (Greenville, Ala./Greenville) had the Vixens' hit in the second contest.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Wednesday, March 12, in an ODAC doubleheader at Randolph-Macon College at 2:30 p.m.  The Yellow Jackets received votes in the most recent national poll.

--AMDG--