Softball | 5/15/2025 4:44:00 PM
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – The No. 3 seeded Alfred University softball team dropped its first match-up of the NCAA Division III Softball National Tournament to No. 2 seeded and No. 24 nationally-ranked Randolph-Macon College, 3-2 on Thursday afternoon at Christopher Newport University. The Saxons (32-10, 18-4 Empire 8) had a 2-0 lead before the Yellow Jackets (35-11, 16-6 ODAC) tied the game and then walked off in the bottom of the seventh.
The game was a pitchers' battle as
Kendall Steward (Kennedy, NY/Randolph) and Randolph-Macon's Gracie Ellis kept the scoreboard cleared until the top of the fourth inning for the Saxons.
Samantha Vidal (Lake Worth, FL/Forest Hill) opened the inning with a bunt single to third base. She then stole second when
Jessica Remm (Carmel, IN/Carmel) was up to bat. Remm, facing a two-strike count, smashed a pitch over the right field fence to go up, 2-0. Steward would end the game with three strikeouts.
A Yellow Jacket solo home run and a single RBI in the bottom of the fifth would eliminate the lead, tying the match at 2-2. In the bottom of the seventh,
Jacy Ramos of Randolph-Macon doubled to left center and advanced to third on a sacrificed bunt from pinch-hitter,
Avery Shifflett. A long and low pop fly from
Amanda Lanyon was snagged by an out-reached
Meghan Neto (Miami, FL/Doral Academy Charter) right over the third base bag, keeping Ramos at third with two outs. A slapped singled from
Naomi Sadler to left center field was the final play that put Randolph-Macon ahead to advance in the bracket.
The Saxons will face the No. 4 seeded Rams (29-15, 15-3 Skyline) of Farmingdale State on Friday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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