May 10, 2012
RC Tops Messiah in NCAA First Round
Maroons to Face Top-Seeded Emory on Friday
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- The Roanoke
College softball team was victorious in its first game of the
regional round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament,
defeating Messiah College, 7-2, on Thursday. The Maroons
improve to 30-9 while the Falcons fall to 35-9 on the season.
This marks the 10th 30-win season for the
Maroons.
The Maroons advance on to face Emory University at 2:00 p.m. on
Friday. The Eagles move to the second round of the winners
bracket after a 4-1 victory over McDaniel College. Live Video
will be available HERE.
The Maroons jumped on the board early against the 2009 national
champions as Stephanie
Clark hit a RBI double,
scoring Hollee
Warlitner, who reached base on a double of her
own. This Roanoke team broke the single-season doubles record
earlier this season, and after this game extended the school-record
to 89 two-baggers.
ODAC Co-Rookie of the Year, Kelly
Higbie, pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom
of the first, then opened the top of the second with the Maroon's
third double in seven batters. Rhea Schleiicher hit a single
down the right field line scoring Higbie, and put the Maroons ahead
2-0 through two.
The Maroons kept piling runs on the board as Felice
Lowery smacked a two-run single to left,
scoring Stephanie
Clark and Warlitner for a 4-0 lead.
Higbie followed with a single that plated Caitlin
Manuel on the play. The Maroons held a
5-0 lead after three innings.
In the fourth inning, Roanoke put one more on the board when
Manuel hit a RBI double scoring Clark from first. Messiah
found the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame as Stephanie Schell
hit a RBI single, scoring Ashley Lehman. One more crossed the
plate as Lauren Seneca knocked in Jaclyn Merkel to cut the Falcons'
deficit to four, 6-2, after four innings.
The Maroons scored one more time in the top of the sixth inning
as Alea
Bier knocked in Leona
Rainey from third. Roanoke ended the
sixth ahead 7-2. That score would hold as the final as Higbie
took care of Messiah in order in the bottom of the seventh to
clinch the victory.
Manuel finished the game 3-for-3 with one run and one
RBI. Lowery led the team with two RBIs, while Warlitner and
Clark led the team in runs with two each.
Higbie pitched her 30th complete game of the
season, giving up two runs off seven hits and striking out
two. At the plate, she was 3-for-4 with one run and one
RBI.
Roanoke is now 12-0 this season when scoring six or more runs.
The Maroons are 16-11 all-time in the regional portion of the
NCAA Division III Softball Tournament following today's win.
This year marks the eighth NCAA regional appearance for the
Maroons. Also, Roanoke moves to 2-0 all-time against the
Falcons, defeating them 9-1 in 2000.
The Regional portion of the tournament will consist of eight teams
in a double-elimination format. To see the Maroons' Regional
Bracket, Click HERE
For More information on the NCAA Tournament, click HERE.
For more information on the regional tournament at CNU, clickHERE
--- This release is
courtesy of the Roanoke College sports information department.
---
maroons.roanoke.edu
