GAME ONE RECAP

• Shenandoah needed to win the first game of the doubleheader if they wanted even a shot at making the playoffs. One Randolph win, in either game, would've given the WildCats the final spot. 
• With Kelsey Freeman starting in the circle for SU, the Hornets did a good job at limiting the Randolph scoring chances early. In the second inning, the WildCats hit a double to left center field that put runners on second and third with two outs. A groundout to Tiffany Bower ended the scoring threat and kept the game scoreless.
• In the third, a lead-off bunt, laid down for a single, put a runner on for the visitors. The lead runner then stole second to get a WildCat in scoring position with no one out. Freeman and SU stayed calm and forced three consecutive groundouts to get out of the frame.
• Danielle McNeill started the bottom of the third with a single to center field for Shenandoah's first hit of the day. Freeman advanced McNeill to second on a sacrifice bunt which allowed Rachael Blumenschine to line a double to center field, scoring McNeill and putting SU up, 1-0.
• Randolph responded well and quickly loaded the bases to start the fourth inning. The Hornets limited the damage in the inning as McNeill threw out the lead runner at the plate for a force-out, keeping the Hornets up 1-0.
• With two outs in the frame and bases still packed, the WildCats hit a deep single to right center to score their first two runs and take a 2-1 advantage. Shenandoah then went to the arm of Meghan Gaskins to get the final out of the inning. Gaskins did just that striking out the first batter she faced on four pitches.
• After Shenandoah didn't score in the bottom of the fourth, Gaskins stayed hot in the circle and got three of the four batters out to keep the game at 2-1 and give Shenandoah a chance to take the lead.
• McNeill and Makayla Cox both singled to start the Hornets' rally in the fifth. A sacrifice bunt attempt by Blumenschine quickly turned into a WildCats' error which allowed McNeill and Cox to both score and put SU on top, 3-2. Blumenschine advanced to second on the throwing error.
• Shenandoah benefitted again on an RC error as McQueeney safely reached and Blumenschine came home to score. With McQueeney standing on first, Eagleton hit a double over the heads of the outfielders and McQueeney raced around the bags to add another Shenandoah run to the board. Shenandoah led 5-2 at the end of five.
• Gaskins retired the WildCats in order in the sixth which allowed SU to take a 6-2 lead in the bottom half of the inning as Blumenschine hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home McNeill.
• A strikeout, flyout, and pop-up ended the WildCats' chances of tying the game in the seventh after they lined a lead-off single back up the middle. The 6-2 win for Shenandoah turned the latter half of the doubleheader into a winner-take-all situation.

GAME TWO RECAP

• Randolph looked to strike early in game two as the second batter of the contest tripled out to right center field on a ball that just missed the reach of Allison McQueeney. Meghan Gaskins, who started game two in the circle, struck out the next two batters to close the top of the first.
• A Hornets' error in the second inning put the led runner on for the WildCats and two batters later, the first run of the game had scored on a double. With two outs in top of the second, Randolph hit a single to center field to score its second run but a spectacular throw by Rachael Blumenschine to Brenna Westwood got the batter out at second.
• Kayla Stephenson came in to pitch for Shenandoah in the third and gave up just a single while grounding out three batters to keep the score at 2-0 in favor of the visitors.
• The first two SU batters in the third recorded an out but two shallow hits from Westwood and McQueeney put a pair of Hornets on the bases. This led to Paige Eagleton destroying a ball to deep center field for a three-run home run, putting Shenandoah in the lead, 3-2.
• The score remained the same until the WildCats evened the game at 3-3 on back-to-back two-out singles in the fifth.
• In the next three half innings the two squads each left a runner stranded in scoring position to keep the game deadlocked.
• The WildCats hit a single up the middle in the seventh inning with one out to put a runner on base. The next batter grounded into a fielder's choice that looked to be just the second out of the frame. However, the umpires ruled that the lead runner interfered with the double-play attempt. This ruling got the Hornets out of the inning and sent the game to the bottom of the seventh, still tied, 3-3.
• The bottom of the seventh inning started with a Blumenschine double to deep center field. Westwood then reached on a fielder's choice and Randolph was unsuccessful at getting Blumenschine out at third. This put runners on the corners for SU with no outs. McQueeney stepped up to the plate and looked to play the part of the hero. McQueeney lined a ball to left field that dropped, allowing Blumenschine to score and give Shenandoah the 4-3 victory, sending them to the playoffs.

NOTES

• The sweep marked Shenandoah's first sweep at home since a sweep of Southern Virginia back on March 2nd.
• Shenandoah has now made the ODAC Tournament for four consecutive seasons. Coach Courtney Allen has successfully sent her team to the postseason in every full season that she has been at SU.
• The 16-win regular season marks the most wins for the program since 2019.

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