WINCHESTER, Va. -- Virginia Wesleyan College senior Tori Higginbotham established the tone of Monday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader at Shenandoah University when she ripped her sixth home run of the season as the lead-off hitter for the Marlns in the first inning.

Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) was one of five Marlins to connect for multiple hits in the opener as No. 11 Virginia Wesleyan posted a 5-2 victory.  VWC belted 13 hits in the game, with six going for extra bases. Kayla Malkos (Roanoke/Cave Spring) drilled a triple and Season Dailey (Norfolk/Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox) and Megan Zahnd (Chesapeake/Grassfield) ripped two doubles each.

The Marlins (33-5, 18-2) followed that effort with a 5-0 win in the second game, highlighted by a standout pitching effort by junior Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods).  She struck out eight batters, matching her second highest total of the season, and scattered only four hits in the shutout.  She improved her record to 18-4, setting a career-high for pitching wins.

Virginia Wesleyan jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the first game and never trailed, building a 5-0 advantage before he host Hornets averted the shutout with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Senior Mackenzie Creech (Hillsborough, N.C./Orange) improved to 13-0 in the pitching circle, working five innings.  She struck out three batters, walked two, and allowed just three hits and no runs. Sophomore Mary Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial) and Karagiorgis both pitched an inning, with Karagiorgis picking up her second save of the season.

Megan Tripp pitched a complete game for Shenandoah (10-23, 8-12), striking out two, walking two, and giving up 13 hits and five earned runs.

Lisa Mitro pitched the first four innings of the second game for SU, before Tripp entered to finish.

The Marlins took the lead in the second game with a single run in the first inning. Higginbotham led off with a single, stole second, and advanced to third on a Malkos sacrifice bunt.  She scored on a sacrifice by Kayla Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville). 

Higginbotham and Dailey both belted two hits for the Marlins.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Friday, April 25, in the first game of the ODAC tournament in Salem, Va.  The Marlins will play at noon against an opponent to be named.

--AMDG--