Lynchburg, Va. -- The 15th-ranked University of Lynchburg softball team made use of timely hits to secure a doubleheader sweep of crosstown rival Randolph, winning 3-0 and 9-3 at home Tuesday in Old Dominion Athletic Conference play.

Junior shortstop Kayla Hugate (Chesterfield, Va.) collected five hits in the leadoff spot, including a 4-for-4 effort in Game 2, while senior catcher Brittany Coffey (Manassas, Va.) slugged a grand slam.

Senior designated player Mackenzie Chitwood (Ferrum, Va.) also went 4-for-4 in the nightcap.

Junior right-hander Alex Cisar (Sykesville, Md.) was dominant in the opener, tossing a complete-game, three-hit shutout to improve to 10-2 in the circle this season.

Lynchburg has won seven straight ballgames.

THE RUNDOWN

Game 1 Final: No. 15 Lynchburg 3, Randolph 0

Game 2 Final: No. 15 Lynchburg 9, Randolph 3

Records: No. 15 Lynchburg (22-4, 5-1 ODAC), Randolph (11-12-1, 2-8 ODAC)

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

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1

• Lynchburg jumped ahead, 2-0, in the first inning on Chitwood's sacrifice fly and a WildCats error that allowed senior first baseman Taylor Mabry (Bassett, Va.) to score.

• Coffey added an insurance run in the third with an RBI single.

• Cisar and the Hornet defense thwarted several Randolph opportunities. The junior stranded runners on second and third in the top of the first, and Coffey threw out a would-be base-stealer in the third.

• Lynchburg's defense turned inning-ending double plays in the fourth and fifth to preserve the shutout.

Game 2

• Hugate put the Hornets ahead in the second with an RBI single, but Randolph tied the score, 1-1, in the third.

• Chitwood led off the bottom of the third with a double and scored on a two-out double by junior second baseman Sarah Commons (Glen Allen, Va.). Freshman third baseman Olivia Herman (Westminster, Md.) followed that with a double of her own to score Commons and put the Hornets ahead, 3-1. Mabry made it 4-1 Lynchburg with an RBI single in the fourth.

• Randolph cut the lead to 4-3 in the sixth on Danielle Shannon's two-run double but couldn't get the tying run across.

• Lynchburg put the game out of reach in the bottom of the inning. Junior left fielder Carol Oberhelman (Washington Township, N.J.) singled to lead off the inning and scored on Hugate's RBI single. The Hornets loaded the bases, and Coffey delivered the back-breaker, a grand slam to right-center field that blew the game open.

• Sophomore right-hander Kayley Cox (Yorktown, Va.) matched a season-high with seven strikeouts to earn the complete-game victory in the circle.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Hornets will continue ODAC play Saturday, March 30 with a road doubleheader at Shenandoah.

--LYN--