Salisbury, N.C. ? The Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team (8-0) remained undefeated on the season with a pair of wins over Shippensburg (6-1) and Erskine (7-0) Friday on day one of the Catawba Invitational at Salisbury Community Park.? L-R Head Coach Shena Hollar also picked up her 400th win as Bear mentor in the first game victory.

Lenoir-Rhyne 6, Shippensburg 1
L-R sophomore pitcher Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn.) improved to 4-0 on the year after limiting Shippensburg to just four hits to go along with 10 strikeouts while the Bears used a five-run fifth inning to break the game open en route to the win.

The Raiders opened the scoring on a solo home run by Moira Johnsen (Newtown, Pa.) in the bottom of the second inning before the Bears tied the contest at one thanks to sophomore first baseman Brittany Davidson?s (Fort Defiance, Va.) round-tripper in their half of the third.

The contest remained tied at one until freshman outfielder Megan Laxton (Taylorsville, N.C.) led off the fifth inning with a solo home run which proved to the game-winner.? Senior outfielder Brittany Cherry (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) and sophomore catcher Sarah Atkins (Newport News, Va.) added run-scoring doubles in the five-run frame to put the contest out of reach for the Bears.

Shippensburg?s Dana Ward (Olney, Md.) suffered the loss.

Game One Box Score

Lenoir-Rhyne 7, Erskine 0
Lenoir-Rhyne freshman Alex Smith (Cocoa, Fla.) allowed just two hits while striking out seven batters to improve to 2-0 on the season and junior shortstop Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga.) went four-for-four with two runs scored to lead the Bears.

L-R scored single runs in the first, second and third innings starting off with sophomore second baseman Carlee Carpenter?s (Newton, N.C.) run-scoring groundout in the opening frame.

Senior designated hitter Ashley Duckworth (Conover, N.C.) hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season for the Bears in the second inning while Cherry and Carpenter put the game away with two-run home runs in L-R?s half of the fourth.

Erskine?s Lauren Gunter (Batesburg, S.C.) fell to 1-2 with the loss.

Game Two Box Score

Lenoir-Rhyne next takes on West Chester (Noon) and Kutztown (2:00 p.m.) Saturday on the second day of the tournament.