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 #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 1:30pm.