For immediate release – 3/26/2016 - #272
'Cats Win in Extras to Split with Guilford

GREENSBORO, NC – The Randolph College softball team needed extra innings in game two to earn a split with Guilford College on Saturday.  The hosts won game one of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) twin bill 3-0, before the WildCats won game two, 10-6 in eight.

Pitching was the story in game one, as Hannah Winfree and Casey Snead were excellent in opposing circles.  Winfree was stout over the first three innings, as she gave up no runs and only allowed one hit. She sat the Quakers down in order in the third and allowed only one base runner in the other two innings.  However, in the fourth, Brooks Bray hit a home run over the left field to break the stalemate.

In the fifth, GC added to its lead as two runners reached through singles.  Snead then helped her cause by knocking in the two runners with a single to right field.  However, those runs would not have been needed as Snead allowed only two runners in the seven innings, with Rachel Hickman's right field double the only hit of the game for the WildCats.

The second game saw the offenses come alive much earlier.  Ki Jenkins walked to start the nightcap off, and she stole second soon after.  The steal would not matter, as Rebecca Montgomery was up next.  For the third time in two days, she crushed a homer over the left field wall, giving Randolph a 2-0 lead.

The lead would not last long, as the Quakers did quick damage in the first.  After a sacrifice fly scored a run, Bray stepped to the plate.  She cleared the bases with a two-run shot, giving Guilford the 3-2 lead.

Pitching then took over the game.  Lindsey Chaney got the call in the game two, and after that first inning, was terrific.  The next three frames all saw 1-2-3s.  Only one ball left in the infield (a fly ball that was caught by Erin Wehrhan) and four batters went down swinging.

While she was dealing, the WildCats took the lead back.  After not being able to score in the second and the third, Randolph crossed two in the fourth.  After starting the inning with two singles by Alexis Steljes and Wehrhan, Jordyn Knapp forced them over with a groundout.  Whittney Crithcley loaded the bases with a base on balls.  Jessica Nowak then stepped up and drove in Rachel Lee (pinch-running for Steljes) with an RBI single.  Montgomery then added to her RBI total, with a sac fly to right field, scoring Wehrhan and giving the 'Cats the lead.

Once again, the advantage did not last long.  Chaney worked around some trouble in the fifth, but the Quakers managed to tie the score at four.  Randolph then threatened to take the lead back in the sixth inning.  Nowak and Montgomery hit two-out singles, but no damage was done.  However, GC came back and took the lead in the sixth.  Chaney got the first two out, but the bases were loaded after a walk and back to back singles.  Two runners then scored on an error.

The WildCats came right back and tied the game.  Hunter Glavé singled to right center.  Hickman then lofted the ball over the left field wall, right down the line, tying the score at six-all.  Gracyn Allen-Ingle came in the next frame and got out of a jam, setting up an extra-inning affair.

With Tristan Hartle placed on second to begin things, Jenkins forced her over to third with a single.  Nowak hit a sac fly to take the lead.  Montgomery followed with another RBI double, and she was knocked in by a Glavé shot to right field.  Guilford bases became loaded in the bottom half with only one out, but Allen-Ingle (4-3) forced a fly out and a pop-up to seal the win.

Despite a rough hitting game one, Montgomery still managed to have four RBI and three hits during the day.  Nowak, Glavé, and Hickman each had two as well, while Steljes and Wehrhan each had two hits.  Chaney finished with seven strikeouts in sixth and a third innings of work.

Bray had three hits and three RBI for Guilford (17-5 overall, 2-2 ODAC).

Randolph (13-9, 2-4) returns home on Tuesday for its first of three-straight doubleheaders.  The first will be against Roanoke College (10-10, 1-1), with the first game starting at 3 p.m.

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