Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's softball team pounded out 22 hits Saturday on its way to a sweep of Mary Washington. The Hornets won 2-0 in the opener and followed that with a 13-3, 5-inning victory.

Senior right-hander Taylor Belknap (Arden, N.C.) tossed a complete-game, five-hit shutout in Game 1, striking out four.

The Hornets slugged three home runs in Game 2, capped by a grand slam from senior catcher Brittany Coffey (Manassas, Va.), who totaled five RBI on the game. Sophomore right fielder Kortney Leazer (Remington, Va.) and senior first baseman Mackenzie Chitwood (Ferrum, Va.) also homered for Lynchburg.

THE RUNDOWN

Game 1 Final: No. 13 Lynchburg 2, Mary Washington 0

Game 2 Final: No. 13 Lynchburg 13, Mary Washington 3 (5 inn.)

Records: No. 13 Lynchburg 15-3, Mary Washington 7-7

Venue: Moon Field, University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1

• The Hornets scored in the first and third innings, both times on base hits by senior third baseman Taylor Mabry (Bassett, Va.). Mabry's first-inning single brought in junior shortstop Kayla Hugate (Chesterfield, Va.), and her third-inning knock got Chitwood to third, and the first baseman scored as Mabry was tagged out in a rundown between first and second bases.

• Lynchburg rapped out 12 hits and had baserunners in every inning, but the two early runs was all the offense the Hornets could muster.

• Belknap kept Lynchburg on top, never allowing more than one baserunner in an inning until the seventh. The Eagles got two women aboard in the last, but a groundout to second preserved the senior's second shutout of the year.

Game 2

• Lynchburg scored early and often in the nightcap, starting with Mabry's RBI groundout in the first.

• Leazer slugged a two-out, two-run homer in the second to make it 3-0 Lynchburg, but UMW rebounded with a single run in the top of the third after the leadoff batter reached on an error.

• Hugate walked to lead off the third, followed by a single from Chitwood and a hit-by-pitch by freshman designated player Haley Drew (Appomattox, Va.). Coffey then homered down the left-field line to break the game open and make the score 7-1 Hornets.

• Chitwood's started a six-run rally in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run homer to center, and Drew, Coffey, and Leazer all delivered RBI hits in the frame.

LOOKING AHEAD

Lynchburg will hit the road Wednesday, March 20 to begin Old Dominion Athletic Conference play at league-newcomer Ferrum with a 5 p.m. doubleheader.

--LYN--