SALEM, Va. – No. 12 Roanoke College avoided an early upset in the ODAC Softball Tournament with a 7-6, eight inning victory over sixth-seeded Shenandoah Friday afternoon.

Shenandoah (24-17) led 5-1 after a five-run fourth and after giving up four runs to the third-seeded Maroons (31-10) in the bottom of the frame, scored one run in the eighth to take a 6-5 lead.

Roanoke then used a bunt single, an error and a single up the middle in the bottom of the eighth to score the two runs it needed to win the game.

Stephanie Clark, who started the game in the circle and moved to shortstop in the middle of that five-run SU fourth, singled up the middle to score the winning run Leona Rainey with the winning run.

Rainey had beat out a bunt single to lead off the Maroons eighth.

Senior Jordan Wolford (1-2) took the loss for the Hornets. Coming on in the middle of the fourth for freshman Megan Tripp, Wolford allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk in 4.0 innings of action.

Kelly Higbie (16-5) posted the victory for RC. She allowed the one unearned run (on the placed runner) on four hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Shenandoah had eight hits in the contest, including two each from Denise Mitchell and Kimberly Brady.

Mitchell got the rally started in the fourth by leading off with a single through the left side with Brady driving her in for the Hornets first run.

Brady, Brittany Guepe, Erica Kondzielawa, Lauren McCabe, Emily Wilson and Madison Bradley all drove in runs for coach Marlena Kotynski.

Clark had a game-high three hits in five at-bats for the victors with Alea Bier driving in three.

SU is back in action with a 4:00 elimination contest against No. 7 Randolph.

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