Harrogate, Tenn. - The Lenoir-Rhyne University?Softball Team (23-6, 2-0) opened South Atlantic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Lincoln Memorial University?(17-10, 0-2), 8-0 and 2-1, Saturday at Neely Field.? The Bears, ranked No. 16 in NCAA Division II, also increased their winning streak to eight games.
Game One - Lenoir-Rhyne 8, Lincoln Memorial 0 (five innings)
L-R junior Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn.) improved to 11-3 on the season after throwing a one-hit shutout in the victory.? Millwood also struck out eight batters as the Bears run-ruled the Lady Railsplitters.
Freshman outfielder Jody Mizelle (Colerain, N.C.) hit a lead-off home run as the Bears took control with three runs in the first inning.
Mizelle added an RBI double as part of the Bears' three-run fourth inning that pushed the advantage to 6-0 before L-R plated two more in the fifth frame for the 8-0 final.
Mizelle, who now has a team-leading 11 home runs on the year, finished with two hits and two runs batted in while senior shortstop Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga.) also drove in two runs to lead the Bears.?
Lincoln Memorial's Cierra Mudd (Washburn, Tenn.) (8-5) was tagged with the loss.
Box Score
Game Two - Lenoir-Rhyne 2, Lincoln Memorial 1
Millwood retired the final five batters for her first save of the year to preserve the win for L-R in the nightcap.?
Lenoir-Rhyne junior Lauren Harris (Yadkinville, N.C.) improved to 9-1 on the season after limiting Lincoln Memorial to just one run in five and one-third innings pitched.
L-R broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single from Rivers and a run-scoring double by sophomore first baseman Jessica Fellmeth (Waxhaw, N.C.).
Danae Reed (Broadway, Va.) drove in Lincoln Memorial's only run with a single in the Lady Railsplitters' half of the sixth but Millwood was able to come in and close the door for the Bears.
Katie-Jo Gentry (Calhoun, Ga.) fell to 3-4 with the loss despite allowing just two runs in going the distance.
Box Score
Lenoir-Rhyne returns home to face Wingate in a league doubleheader on Wednesday at Bears Field beginning at 2 p.m.? Lincoln Memorial next plays at Tusculum in a doubleheader on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
