No. 1 Marlins Win First Two Games of ODAC Softball Tournament

SALEM, Va. -- The No. 1-seeded Virginia Wesleyan softball team was held scoreless until the third inning against No. 8 Emory & Henry, but once the hits came, they came in bunches as the Marlins emerged victorious 9-1 in six innings.

Game 1: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 9, No. 8 Emory & Henry 1

The Wasps scored the first run of the game despite starter Mary Shipp striking out the first two hitters of the game. E&H took advantage of a two-out error to score Hannah Bays on a D. Loving single in the subsequent at bat.

VWC struck for a run in the bottom of the third when back-to-back singles and an error loaded the bases with one out. Liz Bailey singled to left-center to tie the contest at one as Kiersten Richardsoncrossed the plate. Cassetty Howerin attempted to make it 2-1 on a flyout to right field, but a good play by the rightfielder gunned the runner down at the plate trying to score to end the frame.

The Marlins took the lead for good on a big blast by Jessica Lindsay, a two-run homer that sailed over the left field wall to score Kayla Dost.

Bailey, Howerin, and Essence Jackson all provided RBI base hits in the four-run fifth to race out to a 7-1 lead.

Howerin put the run rule in effect in the sixth with a two-run double that scored Courtney Boganand Beth Ford.

Game 2: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 4, No. 5 Roanoke 2

Howerin stayed hot in the second game, giving the Marlins a 1-0 first-inning lead on an RBI single.

The Maroons rallied for a run in the top of the fourth to even the contest at one, but VWC plated two more in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good.

Leading 4-1 in the top of the seventh, Roanoke posted back-to-back singles, followed by an RBI base knock from Rachel Guilliams to make it 4-2. As the go-ahead run approached the plate with one out, the Marlins turned to Shipp out of the bullpen. The senior struck out the next two hitters swinging to earn her second save of the year.

Kandis Kresinske (18-1) allowed two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings while striking out three.

No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan will host the lone remaining unbeaten team in the ODAC tournament, No. 2 Eastern Mennonite, Saturday at noon.