May 20, 2010

DECATUR, Ala. - Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) and Lee (Tenn.) were victorious Thursday in their first games of Pool B action at the 2010 NAIA Softball National Championship at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex Thursday.

Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.) put the first run on the board, only to have Trevecca Nazarene respond with six runs in the top of the second inning en route to a 13-3 Trojan win. The offensive attack by Trevecca Nazarene continued in the fifth frame with four additional runs, along with three more in the seventh inning. The win lifts the Trojans' record to 42-15, while SCAD falls to 35-16.

Monica West was responsible for pushing five Trojan runs across the plate with a 2-for-4 outing. Both Megan Hemmingsen and Lauren Baker contributed two RBI for Trevecca Nazarene. From the circle, Riley Mashburn tossed a complete game, allowing just three hits from the Bees en route to the win. Two of those hits came off of the bat of SCAD's Jessaca Spears, with Kasey Keown connecting on the third.

A pair of RBI singles in the top of the ninth inning by Krista Goodledt and Tabitha Farrow propelled Lee (56-4) past upset-minded Notre Dame (Ohio) (25-25) 4-2. Lady Flame ace Johana Gomez notched her 29th win from the mound, surrendering four hits while striking out 14. Ashley Harbarger took the loss for the Falcons, giving up all four earned runs on eight Lee hits.

Lee pushed across the contest's first run in the top of the sixth inning, but a solo shot to deep left-center field in the bottom of the seventh by Michelle Dykes with two outs tied the game at 1-1 to push the game into extra innings. Dykes was just one of three Falcons to touch Gomez for a hit and she also accounted for bringing in both Notre Dame runs.

Pool B's action on Friday will pit Lee against SCAD at 10 a.m., followed by Trevecca Nazarene and Notre Dame meeting at 3 p.m.