STAUNTON, Va.- The Randolph softball team faced Mary Baldwin in a doubleheader on Friday afternoon. The Fighting Squirrels won both games by scores of 4-2 and 7-6.

In Game 1, it was a pitcher's duel through the first three innings of play as both WildCat starter Jenna St. John (Concord, Va./Appomattox) and Fighting Squirrels starter Marybeth Strickler both were spinning no hitters. In the Randolph top of the fourth inning with one out, Allie Jarrett (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam) singled to right center to break up Strickler's no hitter. Diane Mahiai (Chesapeake, Va./Salem) singled to right field to move Jarrett to second base. Both runners advanced on a passed ball. The WildCat threat ended, however, when Lexi Hawkins (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian) flied out into a double play.

Mary Baldwin scored three times in their portion of the fourth inning. One run scored on a wild pitch and the others on a two-run homer by Alexis Clark.

The WildCats got one run back in the fifth inning on a Kayla Love (League City, Texas/Tallwood) solo homerun to left field. Randolph's second run came on a sacrifice bunt by Mahiai that scored Dominique Irving (Amherst, Va./Amherst County) in the sixth inning. The Fighting Squirrels scored once in their half of the inning to make it 4-2. The WildCats had a runner on base and the tying run on base with two outs in the seventh inning but Irving flied out to center to end the game.

St. John pitched four innings in the circle for the 'Cats. She allowed three runs on three hits walking one and striking out one. Danielle Shannon (Greensville, Va./Riverheads) came in for two innings and surrendered one run on three hits walking two and striking out three.

Irving was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Mahiai went 1-for-2 with a run batted in. Love batted 1-for-3 with her home run, one run scored, and one run batted in.

In the second game, Delaney Nuckols (Rockville, Va./Patrick Henry) led off the first inning with a triple. She would score on Irving's sac bunt to give the WildCats a 1-0 lead. Mary Baldwin scored twice in the bottom half of the inning to go ahead 2-1.

Lacey Lucado (Buchanan, Va./James River) led off the second inning with a double down the left field line. She would score on a Love fielder's choice to tie the game at 2-2. The Fighting Squirrels answered once again as a solo home run by Courtney Back gave the lead back to the home team. MBU added to their lead with a run in the third inning.

In the Randolph fifth inning, an Irving two-run homer tied the contest at 4-4. Lucado's RBI single gave the WildCats the lead at 5-4. A solo homer by MBU's Lacey Morris once again tied the game up in the bottom of the sixth.

The game would go to extra innings where with Lucado placed on second base, a Madison Jarrelle (Chesterfield, Va./Manchester) bunt moved her to third base. Love reached on a fielder's choice to score Lucado and Randolph had the lead 6-5.

Mary Baldwin had its chance in the bottom of the eighth. Morris reached on a fielder's choice to score a run and tie the game. With the base loaded, Paige Scruggs (Cowpens, S.C./Chesnee) got Molly Thompson to strike out. With two outs. Olivia Gagne singled home the winning run for Mary Baldwin.

Chloe Persinger (Buena Vista, Va./Parry Mccluer) started for the WildCats. She went five innings giving up five runs on seven hits. She walked three and struck out three. Scruggs pitched 2 2/3 innings giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits. She struck out three.

Nuckols was 2-for-5 with a triple, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Irving went 2-for-3 with a home run, one run scored, and three RBI. Jarrett was also 2-for-3 with a run scored. Lucado batted 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and one RBI. Love was hitless but had two RBI.

With tomorrow's doubleheader at Averett postponed, Randolph's next scheduled games are March 19 at Emory and Henry. First pitch will be at 1:00 p.m.