May 21, 2010

DECATUR, Ala. - Columbia (Mo.) and Belhaven (Miss.) were victorious in Pool F action in the opening day of the 2010 NAIA Softball National Championship at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex Thursday.

Columbia (37-17) defeated Dickinson State (N.D.) 1-0 behind the arm of Valerie Teter. The junior hurler earned the win for the Cougars throwing a complete game and fanning 13 with no walks and only four hits. Sara Jane Webster took the loss for the Blue Hawks, who now own a 33-12 record. Webster threw all seven giving up one run on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.

Columbia jumped on board in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Tori Long (2-for-3) led off with an infield single and moved to second on a Samantha Stringer sac bunt. She then advanced to third on a passed ball and came home to score on a wild pitch three batters later.

Dickinson State touched Teter in the second, fourth, fifth and six frames, but could not string together the hits needed to scratch across a run.

Belhaven took a 6-3 win over Northwood (Texas) in the pool's nightcap. The Blazers improved to 51-8, while the Knights fell to 33-22. Sarah Burns started and went 5 2/3 innings for Belhaven to get the win, allowing just two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. From the bullpen, Rebecca Rousseau went one inning in relief and issued one walk. Salina Cervantes followed, but gave up three earned runs on four hits.

Taylor Jones took the loss for Northwood, allowing six runs through five innings of work, five of which were earned, on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Larissa Garcia threw two innings in relief, giving up two hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Christina Jaques and Tiffany Ansley led the Blazers' offense, each going 2-for-4 with a combined three runs scored and two RBIs. Katie Sanders also went 1-for-3 and led the team with eight putouts.

The Knights' Taylor Jones went 2-for-3 with one run scored and Eden Duquette (1-for-2) recorded three RBIs and scored once.

Friday's action in Pool F will showcase Belhaven taking on Columbia at 12:30 p.m. and Dickinson State against Northwood at 5:30 p.m.