RALEIGH, N.C. -- Rookie Liz Bailey and sophomore Kayla Dost both connected for four hits Wednesday to help guide Virginia Wesleyan College's No. 13 Marlins to a non-conference sweep of the host Pacers of William Peace University.

While Dost (Bristow/Nokesville Brentsville) was part of an eight-hit offense that led VWC (25-5) to a 5-0 victory in the first game, Bailey (Chesapeake/Greenbrier Christian) led an 11-hit offense in a 7-3 Marlin win in the second game.

Bailey hit 3-for-4 in the nightcap for the Marlins, who took a 1-0 in the first inning and led 6-0 by the end of four innings.  VWC pulled away with a three-run fourth, which started with Bailey drilling a single into center field. A double to left by Tori Higginbotham (Glen Allen/J.R. Tucker) scored Bailey and a WPU error scored Higginbotham and Courtney Bogan (Round Hill/Woodgrove) who reached base after being hit by a pitch.

Peace (16-24) rallied in the bottom of the fifth inning, plating three runs to cut into the gap.  The Pacers recorded three singles to help drive in the runs.  VWC took back one of the runs in the top of the sixth, however, as Bogan led off with a single, stole second base, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She scored on a Dost sacrifice to center field.

Higginbotham doubled twice for the Marlins, who also got two hits each from Megan Zahnd (Chesapeake/Grassfield) and Dost.

Sophomore Mary Shipp (Virginia Beach/First Colonial) pitched 4.1 innings for the Marlins to improve to 2-1 on the season. She struck out two, walked two, and gave up eight hits and three earned runs.  Senior Lindsay Inzana (Chesapeake/Grassfield) picked up a save after 2.2 innings in the circle and allowing just one hit. 

Heather Didinger (Riner/Auburn), a transfer from Division I James Madison University, took the loss for Peace. She pitched a complete game.

Virginia Wesleyan also took the lead in the first game and never trailed. Dost knocked out a double to score Higginbotham, who singled earlier.

The Marlins added solo runs in the second and fourth innings and capped scoring with two runs in the top of the seventh.  Higginbotham walked to lead off the inning, stole second base, and scored when Season Dailey (Norfolk/Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox) singled to right.  Sophomore Taylor Galvin (Virginia Beach/Kempsville) followed with an RBI single.

Junior Kristina Karagiorgis (Ashburn/Briar Woods) turned in a standout effort from the circle. She retired the first six batters she faced and nine of the first 10. She gave up just two hits, walked five, and struck out four. 

Dost and Bogan led VWC hitting with two each.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Saturday, April 12, at Eastern Mennonite University at 1 p.m.   The Marlins also play on Sunday, April 13, at Bridgewater College at 1 p.m.  Both are Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheaders.

--AMDG--