DAHLONEGA, GA - The Lenoir-Rhyne Softball team stayed hot on Thursday, taking down #6 seeded Lincoln Memorial 9-1 in the opening game of their NCAA Tournament.
Cassidy Wall was the MVP of this one, going 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI's. She walked the game off with a solo shot in the sixth.
Madison Wilson, who was the SAC Tournament MVP, picked up right where she left off, allowing just one run and two hits in a complete game victory.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Game Final: (3) Lenoir-Rhyne 9, (6) Lincoln Memorial 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (37-17), Lincoln Memorial (34-19)
Location: Dahlonega, Ga. | The Hill
STORY OF GAME:
- Lenoir-Rhyne set the tone early, with RBI's from Julia Mardigian and Cassidy Wall to go up 2-0 after one.
- After two scoreless innings, the Bears put up a six spot in the fourth.
- With the bases loaded, Lani Warren hit a 2 RBI single to double LR's lead.
- Avery Kiger added an RBI single and Alexandria Gray hit a 2 RBI single to make it 7-1.
- The final run of the inning was scored by Wall on a passed ball.
- LMU scored one in the fifth to keep the game going, but Wall's home run in the bottom of the sixth clinched the win.
STATS OF GAME::
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- This is the second consecutive postseason win over LMU for the Bears, as they won 5-3 in the SAC Tournament last week.
- The Bears have now won at least one game in 13 of their 17 NCAA Tournaments.
- Julia Mardigian now sits two hits away from tying the school's all-time hits record.
UP NEXT: The Bears will now face off with familiar NCAA tournament foe North Georgia tomorrow at noon. UNG won 6-1 over Tusculum earlier today. The winner of tomorrow's game will advance to Saturday's championship game. The loser will play the winner of Tusculum and Lincoln memorial tomorrow night at 5:00 p.m.
