ASHLAND, Va.- The Randolph softball team faced off against defending ODAC champion Virginia Wesleyan in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon on the home field of Randolph-Macon. The WildCats took an early lead only to have the Marlins snatch it away. Randolph rallied in the seventh inning but fell short in the end as they lost 7-6.

With the loss, the WildCats finish with an overall record of 22-21. It is the team's first winning season since 2017.

Randolph came out right of the gate 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 which allowed Lucado to move to third base. Delaney Nuckols (Rockville, Va./Patrick Henry) reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second base but Lucado was tagged out at home plate. Jenna McDermott (Townsend, Del./Middletown) also reached on a fielder's choice and advanced all the way to third base which allowed two runs to score. Brooke Rolocut (King George, Va./King George) got on base on a fielding error by the Marlins shortstop that scored another run and the 'Cats ended their half of the inning up 3-0.

Virginia Wesleyan scored twice in their part of the inning to cut the score to 3-2. The Marlins would tie and then eventually take the lead with three runs scored in the bottom of the third inning to go ahead 5-3.

VWU scored once in the fifth and once in the sixth to go ahead 7-3. In the Randolph seventh inning, Irving bunt singled to lead off and Nuckols singled up the middle to put two on with no outs. McDermott reached on another fielding error by the Marlins shortstop and the bases were now loaded. Rolocut singled to first base to score Irving. Kylie Stark (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville) grounded out to allow Nuckols to score. Paige Scruggs (Cowpens, S.C./Chesnee) came in as a pinch hitter and smacked a single to right center field to score McDermott and the 'Cats were within one run of tying it up at 7-6. Railey Oetken (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek) struck out. Scruggs moved into scoring position by stealing second base. Olesia Walch (Raleigh, N.C./St. Thomas More Academy) struck out, however, to end the game.

Starting pitcher Jenna St. John (Concord, Va./Appomattox) went 4.2 innings in the circle for Randolph. She allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits. She walked two and struck out two. Emily Morris (Esmont, Va./Monticello) came in for the last 1 1/3 inning and gave up on unearned run on one hit and struck out one.

Irving was 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Nuckols went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Rolocut was also 2-for-4 and had one RBI. While McDermott did not record a hit, she did bring in two runs and scored two.