Virginia Beach, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's softball team's Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament run came to an end Sunday as the Hornets were swept by No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan, 4-0 and 9-1, in the best-of-three championship series.

The top-seeded Marlins' pitching carried the day, holding Lynchburg to just six hits over the doubleheader.

VWU got out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener, and Marlins left-hander Hanna Hull did the rest. She held Lynchburg to two hits and no runs while striking out eight in the complete-game win.

Lynchburg got just one baserunner into scoring position in the game. That came in the third inning, when Ashley Hailey hit a one-out single and moved to second on a sacrifice. Hull induced an inning-ending groundout, however, and Lynchburg managed just one more baserunner the rest of the way, a Kayla Hugate walk in the sixth.

The Marlins added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.

Hornets sophomore Angela Sperandeo pitched well for the visiting team, allowing just three hits and one earned run over five innings.

In the win-or-go-home nightcap, VWU again jumped ahead early with three runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the second.

Lynchburg got on the board in the third when the Hornets got a pair of runners aboard thanks to Virginia Wesleyan errors. With one out, Bri Hodges came home on a Lexi Powell fielder's choice. Kayla Hugate followed with a single to extend the threat, but VWU's Emily Seale got out of the jam.

Lynchburg got base hits in the remaining three innings but could not cash in again. Seale finished six innings, allowing just four hits, the unearned run, and striking out a pair of Hornets.

Meanwhile, Virginia Wesleyan added three more to take a comfortable 8-1 lead in the fourth and walked it off on Katelyn Biando's sacrifice fly in the sixth to capture their fifth-straight ODAC title.

Olivia Herman, Hugate, and Sperandeo earned spots on the all-tournament team for the Hornets.

It was Lynchburg's first trip to the ODAC championship since the 2015 season and 12th time playing for the title overall. The Hornets are now 6-6 in ODAC championship games.

Lynchburg (29-18) will now await the announcement of the NCAA Division III tournament field next Monday, May 17 at 1 p.m. EDT. The Hornets are currently ninth in the latest Atlantic Region rankings.

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--LYN--