LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College softball team was looking to get back to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament for the second consecutive season, but couldn't get anything going Friday in the opening day of action, falling to Roanoke College 4-1 in the opening game before being eliminated by Randolph-Macon College 6-4 in eight innings.

                In the first contest of the game, Roanoke wasted no time getting on the board, posting three runs in the bottom of the first, though two of the three runs were unearned. Randolph got on the board with a run in the fifth inning, as Lauren Stevenson (Virginia Beach, VA/Tallwood) was plated by an RBI single from Ashley Gardner (Ashburn, VA/Stone Bridge).

                The Maroons' Kelly Higbie would not allow another run for the WildCats though, as she posted her 22^nd win of the season, allowing only six hits and no earned runs. Randolph was led by the two hits from junior Brittany Willingham (Glen Burnie, MD/Glen Burnie), and Patti Vinson (Williamsburg, VA/Lafayette) doubled and walked in four plate appearances.

                Sophomore Logan Carter (Richmond, VA/Midlothian) came in and tossed five innings of effective relief, allowing only one run and five hits. Leona Rainey had three hits and three stolen bases in the contest to lead the Maroons.

                In the night game for the WildCats, Randolph needed a win to stay alive in the tournament, but again found itself in a early hole. Randolph-Macon scored three runs in the top of the second to take a 3-0 advantage, but the 'Cats came back with two in the bottom half of the fourth. In the frame, Gardner and Willingham each scored on a R-MC throwing error.

                R-MC would extend the lead back out to two with a run in the sixth, but the WildCats again fought back, as first-year Jessica Sanabria (Burgaw, NC/Pender) singled in Gardner to pull Randolph to within a run at 4-3. In the seventh inning, head coach Caroline Cubbage went to her bag of tricks to tie the game, as Kaitlyn Mills (Floyd, VA/Floyd Co.) scored on a perfect double steal with Willingham.

                In the extra frames, Randolph-Macon chalked up two runs in the eighth to forge ahead 6-4. Randolph brought the winning run to bat in the bottom of the eighth, but couldn't convert, ending its season.

                Willingham finished two-for-four with a run scored in the contest, while Sanabria was also two-for-four with a RBI. Gardner also posted a hit in the game, which upped her hitting streak to nine to end the year. She also led the WildCats in average on the year (.434) and also hits (53) and doubles (8).

                Randolph ends the year 18-20, going 7-11 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

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