LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph softball team hosted #1 Salisbury on Thursday afternoon on a warm and breezy day. The WildCats split the doubleheader as they dropped the first game 3-1 and won the second game 9-7.

Randolph's overall record now stands at 12-8 overall. The Seagulls' loss in the second game is just their second of the season as their record is 22-2.

The first game for the majority was a pitcher's duel between Salisbury's Lindsey Windsor and Randolph's Olesia Walch (Raleigh, N.C./St. Thomas More). The Seagulls scored in the first inning on a Windsor RBI single to center field.

The WildCats were held to two hits through five innings. Randolph had some stellar defensive play in the fourth as two Seagull runners were picked off caught stealing.

The 'Cats got something going in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dominique Irving (Amherst, Va./Amherst County) doubled with one out and Lacey Lucado (Buchanan, Va./James River) singled. A Nuckols groundout allowed Irving to score to tie the game at 1-1.

Salisbury took the lead in the top of the seventh on a two-run home run by Windsor. The WildCats had the tying run at the plate in the bottom portion of the inning but Kylie Stark (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville) grounded into a double play to end the game.

Walch went the distance in the circle for Randolph. In seven innings, she allowed three runs on nine hits. She walked three and struck out two.

Windsor did it all for the Seagulls. She got the win allowing one run on four hits, walked three, and struck out six. At the plate, she was 2-for-3 with a homerun, three RBI, and one run scored.

For Randolph, Irving finished 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Jenna McDermott (Townsend, Del./Middletown) was also 1-for-3.

In the second game, the WildCats fell behind 5-0 after three innings. Randolph clawed its way back in the bottom half of the third. With two outs, Irving singled and moved to second when Lucado was hit by a pitch. Nuckols singled to score Irving. McDermott walked. Stark singled to left field to bring home a pair of runs. Michaela Williams (Appomattox, Va./Appomattox) tripled to plate another two runs to tie the game up. She later scored on wild pitch to put the WildCats ahead 6-5. Charlize Taylor (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) walked and stole second base. Lexi Hawkins (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian) reached on an error that allowed Taylor to score to put the 'Cats on top 7-5.

Randolph's lead did not last long as Salisbury's Abby Mace hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 7-7 in the top of the fourth inning. The WildCats answered right back in their half of the inning. Irving led off with a single that beat the throw from the Seagulls third baseman. Lucado reached on a throwing error from third base that moved Irving to third. Nuckols' sacrifice bunt allowed Lucado and Irving to score to give the WildCats the 9-7 lead.

Salisbury went down 1-2-3 in the fifth inning. With one out in the sixth, Walch came in to relive Jenna St. John (Concord, Va./Appomattox). Windsor flied out to center and Mace was tagged out to end the inning for the Seagulls. Walch sat the batters down in order in the seventh to secure the Randolph victory.

Starting pitcher Emily Morris (Esmont, Va./Monticello) went 2 1/3 innings in the circle for the WildCats. She allowed five runs on six hits. St. John pitched three innings in relief to get the win. She surrendered two runs on five hits, walked one, and struck out one. Walch went 1 2/3 innings and did not allow hit for her second save of the season.

Irving batted 3-for-4 at the plate with a stolen base and two runs scored. Nuckols was 1-for-3 with three RBI, and one run scored. Williams batted 1-for-3 with a triple, two RBI, and a run scored. Stark was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. Lucado scored a pair of runs.

Randolph opens ODAC play on Sunday as they travel to Eastern Mennonite. Game 1 of the doubleheader begins at 1:30 p.m.