Richard Bland Splits At Southern Maryland 3-11 (6), 14-0 (5)

LA PLATA, Md. -- Sophomore Tabby Dabney/Mechanicsville hit for the cycle and freshman Kay'Lee Justice/Suffolk added a home run as well in game two, while Dabney along with freshmen Taylor Daniel/Alberta and Brooklynn Bilyard/Culpeper each had two hits in game one, to lead Richard Bland College to a split of a softball doubleheader at the College of Southern Maryland on Wednesday in La Plata, Maryland.  Bilyard earned the five-inning pitching victory in the 14-0 run-rule nightcap victory for the visiting Statesmen (5-8), while classmate Shannon Buffington/Virginia Beach took the pitching setback in the 11-3 run-rule opener setback against the host Hawks (3-1).

In game two, Richard Bland scored two runs in the top of the first inning, adding six runs in the second, four runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth for the shortened triumph.  In the first, sophomore August Ringer/Yale (2-4) singled to lead-off, advanced to third on a double by classmate Katelyn King/Chesterfield (3-4) and stole home for the first run.  King added the second run on a steal of home, as well.

The Statesmen scored their first run in the second when freshman Kara Morris/Kents Store (2-2, RBI) walked ahead of an RBI double by classmate Kamryn Lanier/Chester (1-3, RBI), who scored with Ringer and Dabney (4-4, 5 RBIs) courtesy of Dabney's two-out, three-run home run.  Bilyard (2-4, RBI) followed with a walk before Justice (2-4, 3 RBIs) hit a two-run homer for the 8-0 lead.

In the fourth, King singled and scored on a triple by Dabney, who scored on a single by Bilyard.  Bilyard later stole home before Justice, who had reached on an error, scored on a single by Morris.  In the fifth, King doubled and scored on a double by Dabney, to complete the cycle (single, double, triple, home run), and Dabney crossed the plate on another double, this time by Justice.

Dabney had four hits, King had three hits and Ringer, Justice and Morris each had two hits in the nightcap for Richard Bland.

Bilyard (1-1) started in the circle and garnered the pitching shutout with the 5.0 innings, allowing just four hits with 11 strikeouts and three walks.

In game one, Richard Bland fell behind 4-0 through four innings before scoring one run in the top of the fifth inning and two runs in the sixth to close to within 4-3.  Unfortunately, Southern Maryland plated seven runs in the bottom of the sixth for the shortened win.

Bilyard (2-3, RBI) opened the fifth with a single, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Justice (1-3, RBI).  Daniel (2-3) doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on a ground ball from King (0-3, RBI), before Dabney (2-3) followed with a double and later crossed the plate via a run-scoring single by Bilyard.

Bilyard, Dabney and Daniel each collected two hits in the opener for Richard Bland.

Buffington (2-4) started in the circle and took the pitching setback with the first 3.2 innings, scattering four hits and four runs, one earned, with two strikeouts and no walks.  Dabney tossed 2.0 innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs, six earned, with no strikeouts and one walk.  Sophomore Katelyn Cobb/Newsoms faced two batters and yielded one hit and one walk.

Richard Bland returns home to welcome Region 10 member Southeastern Community College-Whiteville (N.C.) for a doubleheader on Friday, March 10 beginning at 2 p.m.