LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph softball team hosted its final home doubleheader of the season on Monday afternoon as the WildCats welcomed Shenandoah. The Hornets swept the doubleheader with scores of 10-5 and 8-1.
The first game was a pitcher's duel for the first three innings of play. Randolph starting pitcher Jenna St. John (Concord, Va./Appomattox) limited SU to two hits. Shenandoah's pitcher on the other hand, Megan Scalley, held Randolph without a hit for the first three innings. The Hornets scored twice in the top of the fourth to go ahead 2-0.
Chloe Persinger (Buena Vista, Va./Parry McClure) led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to right center to register the 'Cats first hit of the game. Persinger moved to third base on a Gracie Waller (Ringgold, Va./Dan River) groundout but was left stranded at the end of the inning.
Two more Hornet runs came across in the fifth inning as Shenandoah upped its lead to 4-0. The WildCats got on the board in the bottom of the inning on a Paige Naples Bedford, Va./Liberty) RBI single.
Shenandoah ran its lead to 10-1 in the seventh inning. Down to its last out in the WildCat seventh, Naples came up big with a two-run single. Persinger then followed with a two-run homerun to centerfield, the first of her collegiate career, to make it a 10-5 contest. The WildCats were not done as Waller singled and then Kayla Love (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) singled to center. The rallied ended as Lexi Hawkins (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian) hit a line drive to first base for the final out.
St. John pitched 4.2 innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits, She walked two and struck out one. Danielle Shannon (Greenville, Va./Riverheads) came in for the final 2.1 innings and surrendered six runs on eight hits and walked two.
Naples was 2-for-4 with a run scored and three runs batted in. Persinger was also 2-for-4 with a double, homerun, one run scored, and two runs batted in. Railey Oetken (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
The second game saw the Hornets jump ahead 5-0 in the first inning. Two more Hornet runs scored in the second inning. Randolph's lone run came in the fourth inning on a Love RBI single that scored Persinger. Another run was prevented in the fifth inning as Oetken was tagged out at home on an Allie Jarrett (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam) fly ball to right field.
Persinger got the start and was tagged for eight runs (four earned) on eight hits while walking seven. St. John came in for two innings and gave up three hits and one walk.
Love was 3-for-3 with a run batted in. Persinger was 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored. Oetken batted 2-for-3.
The WildCats conclude the regular season tomorrow afternoon at Eastern Mennonite. The doubleheader starts at 3:00 p.m.
