VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Wesleyan University softball team (34-8, 20-2 ODAC) defeated Eastern Conn. St. 6-1 in game one of the 2024 NCAA Softball Regional Championship Hosted by Virginia Wesleyan.
The game saw a strong performance from pitcher Emma Adams, who improved her season record to 20-2. Adams pitched a complete game, allowing only one run on four hits while striking out four batters. At the plate, Adams also went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
Olivia Knight was 2-for-2, scored one run, and had one RBI, Alison Pollack was 1-for-1 with two walks, scored one run, and stole a base, and Mackenzie Myers was 1-for-3 with a double, scored one run, and had one RBI.
The scoring began in the second inning, as Alison Pollack walked, and Olivia Knight singled through the left side to put runners on first and second for Emma Adams who hit a single up the middle to score Pollack to put VWU up 1-0. With Knight on third Joslyn Woodard hit a sacrifice fly to left field that increased the Marlins lead to 2-0.
The Marlins added a run in the third as Mackenzie Myers walked with two outs, Pollack singled up the middle to put runners on the corners, and Knight singled to score Myers from third and give Virginia Wesleyan a 3-0 lead.
The Warriors got on the board in the top of the fifth scoring one run on two hits to cut the lead to 3-1. VWU responded in the bottom half of the inning, Laci Campell led off with a single, and Pollack and Knight walked to load up the bases. Emma Adams lined out to second, and a throwing error allowed Campbell to score from third to give the Marlins a 4-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, the Marlins offense scored two runs on two hits as Beltran walked, Sarah Prosser singled through the right side to put runners on the corners, and a ground out from Campbell scored Beltran. Then, Mackenzie Myers doubled to left center to score Prosser to put Virginia Wesleyan up 6-1.