May 17, 2008

DECATUR, Ala. - California Baptist won two close games to post 2-0 record on day one of the 2008 NAIA Softball National Championship pool play.  Bethel (Ind.), Dickinson State (N.D.) and Shorter (Ga.) all split their games to go 1-1 while Indiana Southeast dropped both games to finish with 0-2 record.

CBU opened the pool play with a 6-3 win over Indiana Southeast.  Chantal Millard went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI while Erin Moore batted 3-for-3 with one RBI.  The Lancers needed 12 innings to defeat Dickinson State, 1-0.  Nikki Lowe scored the only run of the game in the top of the 12th while Amy Thomas pitched all 12 innings and struck out nine batters for the win. 

Bethel rallied from a 5-0 deficit to knock off Shorter 6-5 in 10 innings, but fell to Dickinson State, 5-2.  Sarah Rassi scored two runs while driving in two more in the win for Bethel.

Danielle Abrahamson and Nicole Marcoux each drove in two runs for DSU in the win against Bethel.  Sara Jane Webster pitched seven innings and struck out 12 batters for the win.

After dropping the first game Shorter bounced back to knock of Indiana Southeast, 14-5, in six innings.  Becca Thomas drove in four runs for the Lady Hawks while Jessica Sanders had three RBI.  Kali Milford and Sanders each scored three runs.

Pool play will resume on Saturday with game No. 21 between California Baptist and Shorter (Ga.) at 9 a.m. (CST).