Raleigh, NC - The North Carolina Wesleyan softball team capped off a strong weekend with a dominant doubleheader sweep on Sunday, defeating Gallaudet 15-3 in five innings and following up with a 15-5 victory over Randolph, also in five innings, at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex.
The pair of wins pushes the Battling Bishops back to .500 on the season, improving the record to 7-7 overall.
Game One: N.C. Wesleyan 15, Gallaudet 3 (5 Innings)
The Bishops wasted no time setting the tone in game one, plating five runs in the bottom of the first inning. After Skyler Walker scored on a wild pitch, Ragan Holloman followed suit on another errant pitch to make it 2-0. Later in the frame, Frances Hanshew delivered a two-RBI single before coming around to score herself on a throw, giving Wesleyan an early 5-0 advantage.
The offense continued to click in the second inning as Kayla Simmons singled home Aleah Jones, and a Gallaudet fielding error allowed another run to cross, pushing the lead to 8-0.
The third inning saw the Bishops explode for seven more runs, highlighted by Kayla Simmons' three-run home run to center field. Hanshew and Ramzie Bryant also provided run-scoring hits in the frame as Wesleyan built a commanding 15-0 lead.
Morgan Aycock picked up her first win of the season, tossing three innings while allowing just one run on two hits and striking out three. Katie Whitehurst closed out the final two innings, allowing two unearned runs while striking out five.
Hanshew led the Bishops at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two stolen bases. Kayla Simmons went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while Holloman drew three walks and stole two bases.
Game Two: N.C. Wesleyan 15, Randolph 5 (5 Innings)
The offensive momentum carried right over into game two, as Wesleyan put up four runs in the first inning and never looked back.
Kayla Simmons got things started with an RBI single, followed by Ava Lowry's bases-loaded walk to plate another. The Bishops continued to capitalize as Savannah Bain and Hannah Rubino each drew walks with the bases loaded, giving Wesleyan a quick 4-0 lead.
The second inning was much of the same as Lowry and Bain added RBI hits, while Alexis Whitfield delivered a two-run double to extend the lead to 8-0.
In the third, Kyiah Simmons belted a two-run double before later scoring on an error, helping the Bishops push their lead to 12-0. Simmons capped off her stellar day with a three-run home run in the fourth inning, her second of the day, making it a 15-0 game.
Randolph managed to scratch across five runs in the fifth, but Emily Humphrey (3-1) held firm in the circle, tossing 4.2 innings with four strikeouts to secure the win. Whitehurst came in to record the final out.
Offensively, Kyiah Simmons finished 2-for-2 with five RBIs, Lowry went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Whitfield added two hits and three RBIs.
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