Softball sweeps Southern Virginia; Breaks school record for most wins in single season

Cross went 6-8 with 7 RBI and a record-breaking solo home run in the two WildCat wins

Buena Vista, VA -- The Randolph College Softball team posted two wins late Tuesday night in a non-conference doubleheader at Southern Virginia University. The WildCats took game one 5-3, then posted a 14-11 win to secure the sweep. The first of the two wins breaks the school record for wins in a single season which was previously 12. Randolph stands at 14-8 overall after the two victories.

In game one the WildCats jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning when Brittany Irvine reached on an error and later scored on a Sarah Montgomery single to center field. After Montgomery stole second base, Lindsay Cross continued her hot streak with the bat hitting a single through the left side to score Montgomery. Teresa Dalton then added a single to score Cross to finish Randolph's damage in the first.

Southern Virginia would answer with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, when Amanda Otto parked a two-run shot over the center field fence. The teams would remain scoreless until the fourth, when the Knights would tie the game at 3-3 thanks to an Emma Hames solo home run.

Randolph would respond, and Lindsay Cross would record her fifth home run of the year, single-handedly lifting the WildCats back on top at 4-3. The long ball also broke the school's single season home run record which previously was at 4. Randolph would add one more insurance run in the seventh to secure the tough 5-3 non-conference win.

Dalton recorded the win in the circle for the WildCats, entering the game in the third inning, allowing just one hit and no runs over her four innings of work. Otto picked-up the loss for the Knights, going all seven innings allowing three earned runs and eight hits.

Game two was much better offensively for the WildCats, who managed a season-high 17 hits in the contest. Cross started the offensive explosion again for Randolph, collecting two RBI after a single in the first. The WildCats plated three runs in the first and second innings taking a 6-0 lead after two. Southern Virginia would again battle back cutting the lead to 6-5 after three innings. Another long single from Cross brought home two more WildCats in the fourth, as Randolph added four more runs in the inning to take back their commanding lead at 10-5.

The Knights would answer one more time, adding six runs in the fifth to cut the WildCats lead to 12-11. Randolph would respond in the sixth, as Brooke Camper found the gap in right-center field for a two-run double that broke the game open once more. Dalton, who entered the game in the fifth inning, would retire the side swinging in the seventh to collect her first save of the year.

Leigh Sexton recorded the win on the mound for the WildCats going 4 1/3 innings with three strikeouts in her first pitching action this season. Four different WildCats finished the game with three or more hits, led by Cross who finished 3-5 with two runs scored and a season-high five RBI.

Randolph will return to action Friday when they welcome Sweet Briar College for an ODAC doubleheader scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

CONTACT: Vince Scalzo, Sports Information Director