ASHLAND, Va.- The Randolph softball team faced Bridgewater in the first elimination game of the ODAC Tournament on Saturday morning on Randolph-Macon's field. The WildCats led 8-2 before the Eagles rallied to close to within one run but Randolph stifled an Eagles rally in the seventh inning to win 8-7.

Randolph will now play the loser of the Virginia Wesleyan-RMC game at 4:00 p.m.

For the WildCats, today's win is the first in the ODAC Tournament since 2014 when Randolph defeated Emory and Henry in Salem, Va. 2-0.

Randolph struck first in the first inning. Lacey Lucado (Buchanan, Va./James River) walked to lead off. Dominique Irving (Amherst, Va./Amherst County) singled and advanced to second base on the throw which allowed Lucado to move up to third base. Delaney Nuckols (Rockville, Va./Patrick Henry) singled up the middle to score Lucado. Nuckols stole second base. Jenna McDermott (Townsend, Del./Middletown) bunt singled to score Irving and then was caught stealing. Brooke Rolocut (Kings George, Va./King George) reached on an error by the Eagle shortstop that allowed Nuckols to score. Lexi Hawkins (Lynchburg, Va./Liberty Christian) grounded into a double play to end the inning but the WildCats led 3-0.

Bridgewater got two runs back in their portion of the first on a Morgan Lucas two-run homerun to make it a 3-2 game after one inning of play.

Randolph went right back to business again in the second. Paige Scruggs (Cowpens, S.C./Chesnee) walked to lead off. Kylie Stark (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville) laced a triple to left field to score Scruggs to give the WildCats a 4-2 lead. Olesia Walch (Raleigh, N.C./St. Thomas More Academy) reached on a fielder's choice that got Stark tagged out at home plate. Lucado singled to right field. Irving singled to score Walch and advanced Lucado to third base on the throw. Nuckols and McDermott both had RBI singles and the WildCat lead was 7-2.

The 'Cats scored once in the fourth inning on a McDermott RBI groundout to up their advantage to 8-2. The Eagles threatened in their half of the inning but a base running error on the Eagles resulted in the third out.

Randolph brought its six-run lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. In the Eagle sixth, BC loaded the bases with no outs. Kathryn Thomas flied out to center field for the first out. Torie Shiflett then singled to plate a pair of runs to make it 8-4. One batter later, McKenna Mueller homered to left centerfield to close the Bridgewater gap to one run. Starting pitcher Scruggs would be lifted for Jenna St. John (Concord, Va./Appomattox). St. John induced two straight groundouts to end the BC sixth.

The WildCats grounded out 1-2-3 in the seventh inning. In the Eagle seventh, Jordan Wise led off with a single and Andrea Savage walked. Kaelyn Ramsey fouled out to left field and then Peyton Gregory grounded out into a game-ending double play as Randolph celebrated the victory.

Scruggs pitched 5 1/3 innings in the circle for the 'Cats. She allowed five runs on five hits and walked two. St. John registered her second save of the season in 1 2/3 inning of work. She gave up just one hit and won walk.

Irving was a perfect 4-for-4 for her first four-hit game of her career. She scored twice and had a RBI. Stark finished 3-for-4 with a triple and one RBI. Nuckols went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and two RBI. She stole three bases for the first time in her career. Lucado was 2-for-3 in the leadoff spot with two runs scored. McDermott hit 2-for-4 with three RBI. The one through four hitters went a combined 10-for-14 with six runs scored and six RBI.