The Virginia Wesleyan University softball team (15-1, 2-0 ODAC) began their conference season against Lynchburg and won the first game of the doubleheader 5-0, and won the second game 7-6 in an 11-inning thriller.
Game One:
Sarah Prosser was on fire in game one going 4-for-4 with a double, two RBI, and three stolen bases, Morgan Tucker was 1-for-3 with a solo home run, and Joslyn Woodard was 1-for-2, scored one run, one RBI, and stole one base.
Lauren Bible got the win as she pitched 6.2 innings, allowed one hit, zero runs, and had two strikeouts.
The two teams were scoreless until the third inning as Julia Piotrowski singled to right field and stole second base. Then, Sarah Prosser singled to center field to put runners on the corners and Piotrowski scored on a passed ball to take a 1-0 lead.
The Marlins added to their lead in the fourth inning as Morgan Tucker led off with a solo home run to lead 2-0. Emma Adams was walked, followed by a double to right from Olivia Knight to put runners on the corners. Joslyn Woodard singled to second to score Adams to lead 3-0. Woodard stole second and put a runner on second and third, before Prosser who singled to score Olivia Knight to put VWU up 4-0 in the fourth.
Virginia Wesleyan added an insurance run in the sixth as Woodard was walked to begin the inning, Piotrowski Singled to center to move the runner to second, and Sarah Prosser doubled to left field and scored Woodard to put the Marlins up 5-0.
Game Two:
Sarah Prosser did well in game two and was 2-for-5, scored two runs, with one stolen base, Mackenzie Myers was 1-for-4, with two RBI, and one stolen base, and Julia Piotrowski was 1-for-5, and scored the game-winning run in the 11th inning.
Emma Adams recorded the win in the game pitching 11.0 innings, allowing seven hits, six runs, three earned runs, and had four strikeouts and was 1-for-4 with the RBI that gave the Marlins a 6-5 lead in the 11th inning.
The Hornets started fast and scored a run in the first inning. The Marlins didn't respond until the third inning as Joslyn Woodard reached first on an error by the shortstop, Prosser singled to left field to move Woodard to second, and Laci Campbell reached on a fielder's choice that advanced Prosser to second. Prosser and Campbell stole two bags to move to second and third before Mackenzie Myers singled to left field that scored Prosser from third to tie the game at 1-1. Campbell and Myers advanced on an error by third baseman and Campbell scored to give VWU a 2-1 lead.
Lynchburg scored a run in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. VWU responded in the sixth as Laci Campbell hit a lead-off single, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Morgan Tucker grounded out to the shortstop that scored Campbell to put the Marlins up 3-2.
The Hornets did not give up and scored in the seventh to tie the game at 3-3 to force extra innings.
After a scoreless eighth inning, the Marlins got their offense going in the ninth as Olivia Knight flew out to center field to advance the pinch runner Riley Curtice to third. Then, Haley Sadler singled to center field to score Curtice from third and give VWu a 4-3 lead. However, the Hornets were able to score a run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4.
In the tenth inning, Laci Campbell grounded out to the pitcher and moved the runner Prosser to third and Mackenzie Myers hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Prosser from third to go up 5-4. Lynchburg came back again and scored one run to tie it at 5-5.
Virginia Wesleyan's offense kept going, and Julia Piotrowski had a lead off single and stole second to put runners at second and third. Next, Emma Adams hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Lauren Bible from third to take a 6-5 lead. Then, Olivia Knight grounded out to short to score Piotrowski from third and put the Marlins up 7-5. The Hornets were able to score one run in the bottom of the inning, but Emma Adams and the Marlins defense were able to hold the 7-6 lead to sweep the Hornets in their conference opening doubleheader.
