Nationally-ranked Virginia Wesleyan had too much firepower for the EMU softball team on Saturday, sweeping the Royals on Parent Recognition Day.  Eastern Mennonite makes a quick turnaround, hosting Randolph-Macon Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm in another ODAC twinbill.

Virginia Wesleyan 8, EMU 3
Game one was a great back-and-forth battle until VWC pulled away late.  The Marlins scored a run on a double steal in the top of the first, but Jordan Aylor (Madison, Va./Madison County) launched her sixth homer of the year to tie it in the bottom of the frame.

Angelia Miller (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) put the Royals up 2-1 with an RBI single in the second.  The Marlins re-tied it in their next at-bat, and then plated two more in the fourth to go back in front, 4-2.  Miller got the women back within one when she led off the fifth with a homerun to left, but VWC put the game out of reach with four more runs in the sixth to produce the final margin.

Miller led the offense by going 2-3 with two RBIs.  Aylor had a homer, with Brooke Sigrist (Crimora, Va./Fort Defiance) and Nicolette Cuevas (Suffolk, Va./king's Fork) having the only other hits.

Aylor pitched 5.0 innings and was tagged for all eight runs and loss.  Molly Smith (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) threw 2.0 innings of one-hit ball.

Virginia Wesleyan 14, EMU 0 – 5 innings
After two scoreless frames in the nightcap, Virginia Wesleyan took over.  The No. 13 Marlins methodically scored seven runs in each of the third and fourth innings and rolled out with a five-inning decision.

The Royals managed just three base runners in the game, getting a single from Cuevas and walks from Aylor and Miller.

Cara Neikirk (Salem, Va./Glenvar) lasted 3.1 innings in the circle, giving up 13 runs in the loss.  Lauren Campbell (Stuarts Draft, Va./Stuarts Draft) threw the final 1.2 innings in relief.

EMU slips to 12-15-1 with the losses, including 5-8-1 in the ODAC.  They sit a half game behind Guilford, Roanoke and Shenandoah who are all tied for seventh place.  Only the top eight teams make the ODAC Tournament.