Richard Bland Sweeps At Hagerstown (Md.) 9-1 (6), 20-6 (5)

HAGERSTOWN, Md. -- Sophomore Tabby Dabney/Mechanicsville had five hits, including a home run, and four RBIs, and freshman Brooklynn Bilyard/Culpeper had four hits, including a home run, and seven RBIs, to lead Richard Bland College to a softball doubleheader sweep at Hagerstown (Md.) Community College on Thursday in Hagerstown, Maryland.  Tabby Dabney earned the pitching victory in the six-inning, 9-1 run-rule shortened opener for the visiting Statesmen (16-18), while sophomore Katelyn Cobb/Newsoms gained the pitching triumph in the five-inning, 20-6 nightcap against the host Hawks. 

In the first game, Richard Bland scored nine runs on 14 hits, plating two runs in the first inning, one run each in the fourth and fifth, and five runs in the decisive sixth.  In the first, Dabney (4-4, 3 RBIs) had an RBI double and later crossed the plate on a delayed double-steal.

In the fourth, freshman Taylor Daniel/Alberta (3-4, RBI) provided a clutch two-out, RBI single, while in the fifth, Dabney opened the frame with her team-leading ninth home run, a solo shot to left field.  In the sixth, sophomore Sierra Johnson/Capron (0-1, RBI) reached on a fielder's choice RBI, Dabney had an RBI single and freshman Kay'Lee Justice/Suffolk (1-3) added a two-run single, while Justice scored courtesy of an error.

Dabney had four hits, Daniel had three hits and sophomore Katelyn King/Chesterfield (2-3) had two hits in game one for Richard Bland.

Dabney (5-6) started in the circle and tossed the complete-game 6.0 innings, yielding just two hits and one run, earned, with one strikeout and three walks.

In the second game, Richard Bland scored 20 runs on 18 hits, including five runs in the second inning, three runs in the third, two runs in the fourth and 10 runs in the fifth.  In the second, freshman Ashley Fritz/North Chesterfield (3-4, 2 RBIs) had an RBI double and later scored via an error, Daniel (2-4, RBI) added a run-scoring single and Bilyard (3-5, 7 RBIs) had a two-run double.  In the third, sophomore Morgan Whitley/Franklin (2-3, 4 RBIs) had a sacrifice fly RBI and Bilyard contributed a two-run single.  In the fourth, freshman Kennedy Presson/Wakefield (2-5, RBI) had an RBI single and Cobb (1-1, RBI) added a sacrifice fly RBI.

In the fifth, Fritz had a run-scoring double, sophomore Shannon Buffington/Virginia Beach (0-0, 2 RBIs) walked with the bases-loaded, Whitley provided a three-run double, Bilyard hit a solo home run, her fourth homer this season, Justice (2-4, RBI) added a run-scoring double and Buffington was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Bilyard and Fritz each had three hits, while Daniel, Justice, Presson and Whitely each had two hits in game two for Richard Bland.

Cobb (2-1) tossed 2.1 innings of middle relief, scattering three hits and two runs, both earned, with two strikeouts and two walks.  Bilyard started in the circle and pitched the first 1.2 innings, allowing two hits and four runs, three earned, with two strikeouts and four walks.  Buffington tossed the final inning of scoreless relief, retiring all three batter faced with no strikeouts and no walks.

Richard Bland will return home to host Surry (N.C.) Community College for a Region 10 doubleheader on Saturday, April 15 at 12 p.m. at the RBC Softball Field.