Lynchburg, Va. – The Lynchburg softball team closed out its regular season with a hard-fought series split against nationally ranked Randolph-Macon, taking game one 5-1 before falling in the second game, 4-1.

Game one saw senior Emily Charlton dominate in the circle, delivering one of the best outings of her five-year career. Charlton struck out nine Yellow Jackets—her third-highest single-game total—and held one of the top offenses in the country to just one run.

The Hornets struck first in the second inning. Kaleigh Hackett ripped an RBI double to score Alyssa Talayumptewa, advancing Madison Barnes to third. Anna Grace Terrell followed with a sacrifice fly to bring Barnes home, giving Lynchburg a 2-0 lead. Those two runs were only the 10th and 11th earned runs allowed all season by Randolph-Macon ace Gracie Ellis.

Charlton kept Randolph-Macon off balance through six scoreless innings before the Hornets' bats heated up again in the sixth. Lynchburg tacked on three insurance runs with a flurry of hits, putting the game out of reach. Although the Yellow Jackets managed to break up the shutout in the seventh, the Hornets held strong to claim their first win over a ranked opponent this season.

In game two, Randolph-Macon responded early, taking their first lead of the day. Lynchburg starter Kailey Dorcsis began strong, but a three-run homer from the Yellow Jackets shifted momentum. The Hornets chipped away at the deficit in the fourth inning when Carly Hudnall crossed home plate on a fielder's choice, but Randolph-Macon added another run in the sixth to seal the 4-1 win and secure the split.

Lynchburg wraps up the regular season with a 24-14 record, including a strong 15-7 mark in ODAC play. The Hornets now set their sights on postseason action, beginning pod play in Salem on Saturday, May 3.

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