FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.- The Randolph softball team hit the road on Tuesday as they travelled to Methodist. The WildCats fell in the first game 12-2 but came back to claim the second game 7-6.

In the first game, the 'Cats fell behind 4-0 after two innings of play. Randolph came back in the top of the third inning. With the bases loaded, Delaney Nuckols (Rockville, Va./Patrick Henry) singled to left center to score a pair of runs. Two batters later, Lexi Hawkins (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian) singled to the same area to score another two runs to tie the score at 4-4.

The WildCats took the lead the following inning as Alyssa Swords (Prince George, Va./Prince George) singled home two runs.  The Monarchs tied it up in the bottom half of the inning.

The score remained tied at 6-6 until the WildCat seventh. Railey Oetken (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek) singled to lead off and then stole second. Dominque Irving (Amherst, Va./Amherst County) reached on an error to move Oetken to third and then stole second. Nuckols flied out to left and Swords popped up to third. Hawkins walked to load the bases. Allie Jarrett (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam) then stepped up and singled to the Methodist pitcher which allowed Oetken to score and put Randolph ahead 7-6. Starting pitcher Braelyn Cooper (Amherst, Va./Amherst County) went 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh innings to secure the victory.

Cooper pitched 3 2/3 innings giving up three runs (one earned) on one hit. She walked one and struck out three. Chloe Persinger (Buena Vista, Va./Parry McCluer) came in for 3 1/3 innings and surrendered three runs on five hits walking six and striking out two.

Every batter in the WildCat lineup had at least one hit. Irving was 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored and a stolen base. Jarrett was 2-for-4 with a run batted in. Nuckols, Swords, and Hawkins all batted in two runs.

The second game saw the Monarchs go ahead 10-0 after the first two innings. The WildCats got two runs in the third inning to close to the score to 10-2 but was as close as they could get.

Starting pitcher Danielle Shannon (Greenville, Va./Riverheads) was tagged for seven runs on five hits. She walked four. Jenna St. John (Concord, Va./Appomattox) allowed three earned runs on five hits and walked three.

Irving and Nuckols both were 2-for-3 with a run scored. Swords was 1-for-3 with a run batted in. Taylor Friess (Goode, Va./Liberty) had the team's only extra base hit, a triple, in the second inning. Irving, Swords, and Hawkins all stole a base.

The WildCats are back in the road Sunday as they travel to Newport News for a doubleheader with #3 Christopher Newport. Game times will be at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.