VIRGINIA BEACH -- Virginia Wesleyan College's softball Marlins entered Friday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader with Roanoke College's Maroons as one of the nation's top teams in stealing bases.

That status certainly stayed intact after No. 11 ranked VWC swept the Maroons 6-0 and 8-0 on Marlins Field in Senior Day games.

Virginia Wesleyan (31-5, 16-2 ODAC) entered the twinbill ranked No. 4 nationally, averaging 3.06 steals per game, and finished with a total of 10 stolen bases, increasing its season total to 115.  VWC's all-time leader in steals, senior Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker), led the way with six steals, including four in the first game. 

Sophomore Kayla Malkos (Roanoke/Cave Spring) added three steals in the same game and rookie Blake Henderson (Virginia Beach/Ocean Lakes) recorded one in the second contest. Malkos, the ODAC leader in stolen bases, improved her season total to 41, with Higginbotham not far behind with 30.

Their efforts were just part of alert day of base running by the Marlins, who added 16 hits to the mix to keep the runs scoring.  Virginia Wesleyan combined four steals with two hits in the third inning of the opener to score two runs to open up a 4-0 lead. Higginbotham and Malkos both had two steals in the inning, including a steal home by Higginbotham. Courtney Bogan (Round Hill/Woodgrove) and Malkos both singled.

Malkos and Higginbotham also recorded a steal each in the fourth inning to help the Marlins to two more runs. VWC combined those steals with a Roanoke error and a Higginbotham double and singles from Lindsey Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield) and Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) to plate the runs that increased the VWC lead to 6-0.

VWC outhit Roanoke 7-3 overall, led by Higginbotham with a 2-for-2 showing at the plate.  Bogan finished 2-for-3. 

Senior pitcher MacKenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) improved to 12-0 overall with a complete game, facing only 23 batters in seven innings.  She struck out three and scattered three singles.

Roanoke (11-24, 6-12) used Kelly Higbie (Midlothian/Cosby) in the pitching circle, where she also recorded a complete game.  She struck out three batters, walked four, and gave up seven hits and four earned runs. Stephanie Clark (Nathalle/Halifax), Taylor Sutherland (Mechanicsville/Atlee), and Alexis Roop (Floyd/Floyd County) poked a single each for Roanoke.

Junior Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods) continued the strong pitching for VWC in the second game with another complete game.  She faced 21 batters in five innings and tied a season-high with nine strikeouts, improving her season total to 112.  She walked three and gave up just three hits en route to improving her season record to 17-4, topping the ODAC in victories.

VWC led 2-0 after four innings, but ended the game in the bottom of the fifth when the Marlins connected for five hits, including doubles from Megan Zahnd (Chesapeake/Grassfield) and Season Dailey (Norfolk/Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox).  Bogan tripled to left center field and scored the game-ending run on a wild pitch.

The Marlins produced nine hits overall, with four going for extra bases.  Kayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville) also stroked a triple for VWC, which was led by Higginbotham and Bogan with two hits each.

Clark took the pitching loss for Roanoke, working 4.2 innings and striking out two batters.  She gave up nine hits and seve earned runs. Higbie finished. Clark, Higbie and Roop recorded a single each for the Maroons.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition Monday, April 21, closing the regular season with an ODAC twinbill at Shenandoah University starting at 3 p.m.

--AMDG--