Vikings sweep past No. 10 Randolph-macon

Anna Jackson had four RBIS in Game 1 and Hannah Gore pitched a two-hitter in Game 2 as No. 5 Berry swept No. 10 Randolphmacon, 5-2 and 1-0, in softball action from Ashland, Virginia, on Wednesday afternoon.

Three runs in the first inning staked Blair Hall to all the run support she needed as the Vikings took the win in the first game of the twin bill.

Katie White picked up from where she left off last weekend, turning on the fifth pitch of the game for a solo homer to left to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. After a Sydney Moroney single back up the middle, Jackson drilled a 1-1 over the fence in left center to make it 3-0.

With the Vikings ahead 3-2 entering the seventh, Jackson came up with the needed insurance. With Aleeya Thornton on third and White on second, Jackson sent an offering to the right of the diving Randolph-macon shortstop and into left, scoring both runners to make it 5-2.

Hall (6-0) danced in and out of trouble in the circle, allowing nine hits and two runs but stranding 10 runners on base.

The junior, in her second year with the Vikings, cleared 100 strikeouts for her career with six in the contest.

The first game would have to be considered a relaxing walk in the park compared to the tension of Game 2. Berry mustered just four hits, but Gore was masterful in the circle and allowed just two hits with three strikeouts.

Berry’s first hit of the game translated into its only run of the contest. White singled to lead off the fourth inning, then slid in safely on a 3-0 pitch to Jackson for her 13th stolen base of the season. The next pitch to Jackson bounced away from the plate, and the Vikings had runners on the corners thanks to the wild pitch and the walk.

Morgan Frye then hit a deep fly ball to right that was caught on the warning track, but it was deep enough to score White. The sacrifice fly gave Berry the 1-0 advantage.

That was all the support Gore (4-0) needed. The sophomore retired the final 15 batters she faced.

The Yellowjackets got a single and a stolen base in both the first and third innings, but both times, the runner was left stranded at second.

The sweep moved Berry to 3-1 against ranked opponents so far this season following a doubleheader split at No. 6 Belhaven in February.

Berry’s next three games will be against ranked opponents, as the Vikings take part in the first weekend of the Cross Bay Bash. Berry will play its games in Newport News, Virginia, at Christopher Newport on Friday and Saturday, with Friday’s first contest coming against No. 2 Trine at 10:30 a.m.

Berry then faces No. 8 Millikin at 1 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, the Vikings take on No. 1 and host Christopher Newport at 3 p.m. before closing the weekend with Transylvania at 5:30 p.m.

LACROSSE Berry men 9, Transylvania 7

Michael Mckenzie netted five goals, Tyler Banfield added a hat trick and Berry started its two-game swing in Kentucky with a 9-7 win over Transylvania in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday afternoon.

With last Friday’s game against Bridgewater canceled due to storm damage in the Mount Berry area, Wednesday’s contest was the first for the Vikings since Feb. 25. Since an opening day loss to No. 2 Salisbury, the Vikings have won four games in a row.

The contest was tied 5-all entering the late stages of the third period. Mckenzie was able to get loose and find a shooting lane, rifling a shot into the net to make it 6-5 with 2 seconds left in the third.

The goal proved to be a spark for the Vikings. Ethan Perlakowski scored 51 seconds into the fourth quarter to make it 7-5. Mckenzie added another goal with 12:47 left in regulation to stretch the lead up to three, 8-5.

With Berry up 8-6, Mckenzie scored his final goal of the game with 8:17 remaining to put his team up by three.

From there, Berry’s defense made the needed stands. Transylvania turned the ball over five times in the final 7 minutes, with Berry bleeding the clock to close out the victory.

Rob Maraski was big in net for the Vikings, coming up with 14 saves in the victory.

Mckenzie got the Vikings on the board with a tally just over 8 minutes into the contest for the first goal of the game. After the Pioneers tied the score, Banfield scored the first of his three goals with 16 seconds left in the quarter to make it 2-1.