Salem, Va. -- Freshman left-hander Emily Charlton dazzled, the offense produced timely hitting, and University of Lynchburg's softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of archrival Roanoke College, 1-0 and 8-7, Monday night on the road.

Charlton was spectacular for the Hornets, tossing 10 ⅔ shutout innings to earn the win in both ballgames at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex. The Chesapeake native allowed just two hits on the evening. The freshman started Game 1 for the Hornets and allowed just one Maroons baserunner into scoring position. She was efficient in the circle, needing just 63 pitches to get through seven innings for the win.

Roanoke hurler Jada Karnes was nearly as good. Lynchburg managed hits off the Maroons' right-hander in each of the first three innings, but the Hornets couldn't do any true damage until the fifth. Sophie Tully led off the fifth with a single, and Addison Walter followed with a bunt single. After an RC error loaded the bases, Lexi Powell delivered an RBI single to give Lynchburg the lone run of the ballgame.

The shutout was just the Lynchburg pitching staff's fourth of the season and Charlton's second.

The nightcap looked much different. The Hornets took an early 2-0 lead on Caroline Joy's two-run single in the first, but Roanoke scored one in the second and five in the third to seemingly take control of the game.

In the top of the fourth, Lynchburg fought back. Kaleigh Hackett led off the inning with an infield single, stole second, and scored on a pair of wild pitches. With two runners aboard, Powell blooped a two-run double down the left-field line to bring the deficit to closer, and two more runs came home on an RC error to make the score 6-6.

The home team quickly retook the lead in the bottom half, taking advantage of a Hornets error, and Roanoke held that lead into the top of the seventh.

In their last chance, the Hornets' Olivia Herman clubbed a one-out double to center field, and Lynchburg loaded the bases on Hackett's infield single and a pinch-hit walk by Shea Alheit.

With two out, Gracie Dooley punched a jam-shot single over the shortstop's head to plate two runs. Lynchburg could have added to the lead, but Ashley Hailey's single hit a baserunner to end the inning.

It didn't matter, as Charlton set the Maroons down in order in the bottom half to earn her second win of the evening and sixth of the season.

Lynchburg improved to 23-13 on the season with the sweep, 13-3 in Old Dominion Athletic Conference play, and will look to improve that mark Wednesday in the Hornets' home regular-season finale, a 3:30 p.m. twinbill with Guilford on Moon Field.

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--LYN--