College Softball Final – Randolph-Macon 9, Guilford 7 (ODAC Tournament – Final Elimination Game)

SALEM, Va. – Guilford College’s winningest season in program history came to a close Sunday morning as they dropped the final elimination game of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament to fourth-seeded Randolph-Macon College, 9-7. The Quakers (29-15) finish 2014 with the most wins in program history as well as the program’s best finish in the ODAC Tournament.

Randolph-Macon produced a four-run rally to start the first inning with Guilford sparking a two-run rally of their own in the bottom half of the frame thanks to Cynthia Hayes’ (Seagrove, N.C./Southwestern Randolph) 21st double of the season and Marty Wilcox’s second triple of the ODAC Tournament. The Yellow Jackets added three more runs one-half inning later, but the Quakers countered with a three-run rally of their own in the bottom of the third frame after retiring all three Yellow Jackets in the top half of the inning. Randolph-Macon countered with a two-run rally, led by Sam Moore’s RBI-triple. Guilford took advantage of an early Randolph-Macon error in the outfield to spark a two-run rally to cut Randolph-Macon’s lead in half, 9-7. Guilford placed two runners on with one out in the bottom of the seventh stanza, advancing those runners into scoring position before Randolph-Macon retired the Quakers.

Hayes closed out her senior season 3-for-4 with a RBI-double in the bottom of the third inning for her second double of the morning’s contest. All of the second baseman’s hits were doubles to close out her league-leading double count at 23. The senior closes out her career leading the ODAC in hits (74) , batting average (.532), doubles, and on-base percentage (.599). The senior will also exit with several program records for career batting average, on-base percentage, hits, doubles, and runs scored.

Marty Wilcox finished her record-setting season 4-for-4 with two-RBI, including the RBI-triple to start the Quaker offense in the bottom of the first inning. The junior drove in her second run on a double and an error in the outfield as part of Guilford’s two-run rally in the fifth frame. Wilcox finishes the season currently in a tie for the league lead in home runs (11) and in sole possession of the league lead in RBI (52). Wilcox’s home run count also set a school record for home runs in a single season.

Rachel Howard finished 1-for-3 with two-RBI. Howard’s ground out drove in the second run in the bottom of the first inning while her RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth inning drove in the Quakers’ second run of the two-run rally.

Taylor Boyd drove in two runs off a two-RBI single in Guilford’s three-run rally in the bottom of the third inning.

Maggie Shaffer (14-8) took the loss, giving up six earned runs on eight hits while fanning two batters. Rebeakah Langston relieved Shaffer in the top of the second inning to throw the final five and one-third innings. The freshman finished the game giving up two runs on four hits while striking out one batter.

Randolph-Macon’s Kelsey McLaughlin (16-6) took the win, giving up six earned runs on ten hits while striking out five batters. Jenna Best picked up her first save of the season, giving up just one hit while striking out one in the final inning.