Softball Falls to #12 LR in Regional Opener

SAVANNAH, GA - South Atlantic Conference Pitcher of the Year Dawon Millwood hurled a three-hit shutout, striking out 11, to lead No. 12-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne to a 2-0 victory over Catawba on Friday afternoon in first-day action at the 2012 NCAA DII Softball Southeast Regional.  Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 47-11 on the season and will next play against the winner of Flagler and No. 9 Armstrong at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Catawba (33-18) awaits the loser of Friday's second game in a 1:30 p.m. elimination game on Saturday.

The Bears took advantage of a Catawba error to score the game’s first run.  Jody Mizelle reached on a one-out error and Carlee Carpenter reached on a fielder’s choice.  After a pop up, Jessica Fellmeth delivered a two-out single for a 1-0 lead.  The only other run of the game came when Brittany Coursen led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field.

Millwood then made the lead hold up, limiting the Indians to just three hits and three walks. Catawba's best chance to score came in the top of the fifth as Mollie Kovalcin (Latrobe, PA/Greater Latrobe HS) singled with one out and Lauren Lewis (Concord, NC/N. Mecklenburg HS) followed with a double off the top of the fence in left field.  Millwood responded to strike out the next two Catawba batters to keep the shutout in tact.

Millwood improved to 33-6 with her 17th shutout of the season, while Catawba's Brittany Murray (Asheboro, NC/E. Randolph HS) took the loss to fall to 16-11.  She gave up only four hits and two runs - one earned - in six innings of work, walking one while striking out three.

Coursen went 2-for-2 with her sixth home run of the year to lead the Bears offensively, while Alli Justice (Bishopville, MD/Decatur HS) had double to go with Kovalcin's hit and Lewis' double to lead the Indians.