FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-4-07

College Softball: AASU 1-4, No. 18 Lenoir-Rhyne 0-5

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Nicole Huddleston’s RBI single in the fifth inning scored Vanessa Becerra with the winning run in AASU’s 1-0 victory over No. 18-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne on Sunday afternoon, earning a split with the Bears. Lenoir-Rhyne took the nightcap, 5-4, in eight innings.

Becerra led off the fifth with a double for the Pirates (9-3), then moved to third on Ashley Bain’s sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Huddleston hit a ball deep in the hole at shortstop, scoring Becerra with the game’s only run. Freshman Jessica Waters (5-2) made the run hold up by hurling her first collegiate shutout, giving up just three hits while striking out five to pick up the win. Lenoir-Rhyne (12-2) hurler Casey Hanes was the hard-luck loser, giving up just three hits while striking out 11 in six innings.

In game two, Michelle Smith’s RBI double to left field in extra innings gave Lenoir-Rhyne the 5-4 victory. The Bears started the top of the eighth inning with Brooke Starnes on second base as the International Tie-Breaker rule was in effect. A single from Lindsay Dehart through the left side plated the first run to put Lenoir-Rhyne up 4-3, then a wild pitch moved Dehart from first to second and the rest was left up to Smith’s double to left field. An error plated the Pirates’ only run of the eighth.

The Pirates sent the game into extra innings by tying up the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI double from Becerra, an RBI single from sophomore Jessica Strong and an RBI double from freshman Nicole Huddleston.

Hanes (6-2) earned the victory in relief for Lenoir-Rhyne in the second game hurling 2 1/3 innings giving up two hits two runs and striking out four while sophomore Rachel Koenig-Eng (0-1) picked up the loss for the Pirates hurling eight innings giving up nine hits allowing five runs and striking out four.

The Bears were led offensively by Leah Krohn who went two for seven on the day with one home run and Erin Grier, whose homer to center field drove in two runs in the top of the fifth inning of the second game. Huddleston led the Pirates’ offensive attack going two for five for the day and driving in two runs.

AASU is next in action playing host to Wingate University on Wednesday, March 7 at 1:00 p.m.

- Pirates -