COLUMBUS, Georgia - The No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan softball team won both games on day one of the 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic hosted by the city of Columbus, GA. The Marlins started the day with a five inning 12-0 win over Illinois Wesleyan and wrapped up action with a walk off win over No. 1 DePauw University in what was a rematch of the semifinal game of the 2021 NCAA Championship Tournament.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Score: No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan 12 - Illinois Wesleyan 0 - 5 innings
Record: No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan 5-2 | Illinois Wesleyan 0-1
Location: Columbus, GA
INSIDE THE SCORE
Neither team scored in the opening frame but the Marlins brushed off the dust by putting three runs on the board in the top of the second inning. Julia Piotrowski, Autumn Boothe, and Mackenzie Myers all came across the plate.
In the top pf the third inning, the first baseman Karlee Fretz hit her second home run of the season that put two more runs on the board as Caitlin Myers on the play driving VWU's tally up to a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, Virginia Wesleyan added six more runs to their total taking an 11-0 lead heading into the fifth inning. Madison Hudson came to plate to pinch hit and cleared the bases with a double to left field that scored three runs with M. Myers, Brooke Anderson, and Halee Hawkins coming home. A couple batters later, third baseman Julia Sinnett hit her first home run of the season over the left field wall driving home three more runs, with Arianna Rolle and Jaya Diggs-Hagwood coming home on the hit.
Joslyn Woodard scored the twelfth run of the game coming home off an Emily Halloway single to left field putting VWU 12-0. The Marlins held off the Titans in the bottom of the fifth to win the game in five innings.
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Score: No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan 5 - No. 1 DePauw 4
Record: No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan 6-2 | No. 1 DePauw 2-4
Location: Columbus, GA
INSIDE THE SCORE
After a scoreless first inning for both teams, the Tigers found the scoreboard in the top of the second inning as DePauw put two runs on the board.
Both teams went scoreless again in the third inning and the Marlins took the lead in the bottom of the fourth going up 3-2. A Julia Sinnett triple to left field scored two runs driving home Caitlin Myers and Arianna Rolle. Sinnett came home the next play as Karlee Fretz singled to left field scoring Sinnett from third.
Sinnett made things happen again in the bottom of the fifth inning as she hit a double to right field that scored Krissy D'Arco giving VWU a 4-2 lead.
The Tigers did not back down as they came back to even the score in the top of the seventh inning as a double to left field drove in a pair of RBI putting the score at four all.
Virginia Wesleyan in the bottom of the seventh did what VWU does best and pulled off the walk off win claiming the victory of No. 1 DePauw 5-4. After the lead off batter struck out, Arianna Rolle came to the plate and tripled to right center field. Catcher Caitlin Myers followed Rolle to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly ball out to center field allowing Rolle to run home for the winning score.
The win was the second time within the last calendar year that the Marlins defeated the No. 1 Tigers of DePauw. The last encounter saw No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan defeat No. 1 DePauw in the third game of the 2021 NCAA Championship tournament. VWU shut out DU 3-0 to advance to the championship series against Texas Lutheran.
UP NEXT
The Marlins continue their run at the NFCA Leadoff Classic tomorrow against Pomona-Pitzer, East Texas Baptist. They wrap up Sunday with Central, and MIT.
