Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Benny Benton
ETTRICK, Va. – Pitchers Liz White and Carolina Merrill combined on a three-hit shutout in game one, and Megan Kelly went 4-for-4 with three extra-base hits and five RBI in game two as Barton College swept host Virginia State University in a non-conference softball doubleheader on Friday.
White (6-8) did not walk a batter and struck out seven over five innings in the shutout, Barton's second of the season.
In the nightcap, Kelly had a three-run homer in the second inning and added RBI triples both the fourth and fifth innings to pace a 14-hit attack for the Lady Bulldogs.
Barton improved to 10-15 on the year, while Virginia State dropped to 9-13.
Game 1: Barton 2, Virginia State 0
Barton scored the only run it would ultimately need in the top of the first inning when freshman Hannah Jones and senior Rachel Jordan produced back-to-back two-out doubles, giving the Lady Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.
Virginia State earned two of its three hits in the contest on consecutive singles to open the bottom of the second inning, but White collected a strikeout and two pop-ups to third to end the threat.
The Trojans would not have another baserunner in the game, as White and Merrill combined to retire the final 18 VSU batters in order.
The Lady Bulldogs loaded the bases in the third inning after Taylor Bowden and Jones both produced one-out singles and Jordan walked, but Virginia State starter Mckenzie Love (2-3) got a strikeout and a force-out at home plate to escape the jam.
The following inning, however, Barton manufactured an insurance run. Brittany Jacobs delivered a two-out single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Kelly walked, and the two runners pulled off a double-steal, with Jacobs scoring to put BC up 2-0.
Love worked four innings for VSU, scattering six hits, walking two and striking out one.
Merrill pitched the fourth and fifth innings for Barton, retiring all six batters she faced, including one by strikeout. White then returned to the mound for the final two innings, and struck out the side in the sixth.
Barton had nine hits in the contest, including three each by Jones and Jordan.
Game 2 – Barton 12, Virginia State 5
Barton again took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, this time on a triple by Bowden and RBI groundout by Jones.
Virginia State committed seven errors in the contest, and two of them came in the second inning, leaving the door open for a big inning by the Lady Bulldogs. Barton scored one run on a two-out error in the outfield, and Kelly drove in three more by following with her fourth home run of the year.
The Trojans got one run back in the bottom of the second, but Barton made the margin five runs once more in the fourth inning when Jacobs reached on an error and scored on Kelly's first triple of the game.
Virginia State produced three hits, including an RBI double by Alexandra King, off Jones in the fourth to cut the deficit to 6-3, but Barton responded by belting out six hits and scoring four times in the top of fifth inning. Sydney Burton had an RBI single, Samantha Bass and Jacobs both added RBI doubles, and Kelly finished off the inning with her second RBI triple of the contest to put the Lady Bulldogs up 10-3.
The Trojans collected single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, with Barton scoring twice in the top of the sixth, one of those runs coming on an RBI triple by Briana Jackson.
Jones (4-6) scattered eight hits in the complete-game victory. The freshman walked three and struck out four.
Rebecca Elder (1-2) suffered the loss for VSU after being the victim of four unearned runs in her two innings of work.
In addition to Kelly's four hits, Barton received two each from Bass and Kelsie Conner. Jacobs contributed three RBI and scored three times.
Barton will return home to host UNC Pembroke in a doubleheader on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
