No. 13 SOFTBALL EARN DH SWEEP AGAINST FLORENCE-DARLINGTON TECH

PETERSBURG, Va. – The Richard Bland College women's softball team earned a series (6-5, 9-0) sweep over Florence-Darlington Tech Community College on Saturday afternoon. The Statesmen improve to 22-9 overall and 16-2 in Region X competition.

Richard Bland accounted for 16 hits, eight RBI, and two home runs on the day.

In the opening game, the Statesmen scored its first run of the game after Kimberly Ellis (Chesterfield, VA) tripled to right field and Taylor Slate (Emporia, VA) reached first base off the Lady Stingers first baseman error to score Ellis.

Cindy Allen (Gloucester, VA) hit a double in the bottom of the fourth inning to score Hayley Olson (Richmond, VA). Allen would score a run after a passed ball to extend RBC's lead to 3-1.

Florence-Darlington Tech answered the Statesmen runs in the fifth after Heather Kirby hit a grand slam to give the Lady Stingers its first lead of the day, 4-3.

With the lead 5-3 in favor of Florence-Darlington Tech, Allen went to the plate at the bottom of the sixth and hit her second home run of the season to cut the deficit to 5-4. Whitney Clements (Prince George, VA) hit a sacrifice fly out to shortstop to advance pinch runner Abby Eichelberger (Newport News, VA) to tie the game at five even.

The next play, Ellis scored on a passed ball to give the Statesmen the 6-5 lead which would seal the win for Richard Bland. Tara Heatwole (Williamsburg, VA) got it done in the circle on the way to a win. She allowed one run over two innings, striking out two, walking two and giving up just one hit.

In game two, the Statesmen struck in the bottom of the third using Forbes's double to take an early 1-0 lead. A passed ball from the Lady Stingers would allow Clements to score but a single by Olson, Jordan Byrd (Chesterfield, VA), Hannah Barnes (Emporia, VA) earned the Statesmen a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, RBC's bats caught fire when Forbes hit a in the park home run, following Olson's double to centerfield to put her in scoring position after Amanda Archer (Amelia, VA) tripled to right field to score Olson. Ellis scored off an error on the Lady Stingers second baseman to stretch the lead to 9-0.

The Lady Stingers had no answer for the Statesmen and RBC was able to secure the 9-0 victory in five innings of play. Heatwole went 2-0 on the day at the mound, as she held Florence-Darlington Tech scoreless in five innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven.

The Statesmen return to action on Wednesday, April 15 for its last regular season home game and sophomore day against Division 1 Region X, Louisburg College. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.

For more information on RBC men's basketball, please visit www.rbcathletics.com.

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