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Softball

ODAC Softball Report: Week 3

ODAC softball had the most active week for any sport this season, competing 58 times over the past week with each featuring against non-conference foes. Nationally second-ranked Virginia Wesleyan is now 8-0 after a 6-0 week that included a dominating sweep of No. 9 CNU. Averett is the first to double figures at 11-3, while Bridgewater completed its trip out west (2-4) to sit 8-4 in the league table. Shenandoah (7-2) and Sweet Briar (7-7) have won seven games each. Eight of the league's 11 squads have a .500 or better winning percentages.

  • HANNAH HEARL | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN | STARTER
    Hearl, a sophomore from Orange County, Va., earned three victories in as many starts with a pair of complete-game efforts to help nationally second-ranked Virginia Wesleyan post a 6-0 week overall. Hearl's best outing of the week was her first as she no-hit No. 9 Christopher Newport University and faced just two batters over the minimum in the Marlins 8-0 win in six innings on Wednesday. After retiring the first six batters she faced, she walked the leadoff batter in the third inning as the only baserunner she allowed. She retired 11 straight before an error with two down in the sixth snapped that string. She finished the game with seven strikeouts. Three days later, Hearl went the distance in a 7-1 win over Tufts University. She allowed one run on four hits over 7.0 frames. She walked two and fanned six Jumbos. Hearl capped her week with a 7-1 win over Greensboro College on Saturday. She worked the first five innings, giving up one run on one hit. She did not walk a batter but did hit one. She struck out a career-high 11 including six straight over the first three innings.

  • OLIVIA KNIGHT | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN | CATCHER/3RD BASE
    Knight, a senior from Grimesland, N.C., scored or drove in at least one run in each game of nationally second-ranked Virginia Wesleyan's 6-0 week that included a dominating sweep of No. 9 Christopher Newport University in which the Marlins outscored the Captains, 23-2. Knight hit .529 (9-for-17) with a 1.609 OPS powered by three doubles and two homers with 13 RBI, five runs scored, and a pair of walks. Against CNU, Knight went 2-for-6 with three RBI in both games. She homered in game two and stole a base in game one. On Saturday in an 8-0 win over Mary Baldwin University in the first of two games, Knight went 1-for-1 with a pair of walks. She drove in a pair and scored once while stealing her second base of the week. Later that day in a 7-1 win over Tufts University, Knight went 3-for-4 with a double and her second homer of the week. On Sunday against Muhlenberg College, Knight went 1-for-2 and scored a run. In game two against Greensboro College, Knight went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBI towards VWU's 7-1 triumph.

Olivia Knight
Hannah Hearl