NEWPORT NEWS - The Roanoke College softball team was victorious in its first game of the regional round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament, defeating Messiah 7-2 on Thursday.  The Maroons imporve to 30-9 while the Falcons fall to 35-9 on the season.  This marks the 10^th 30-win season for the Maroons.
 
The Maroons move on to face the Eagles of Emory University at 2:00 PM on Friday.  Emory moves 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 total two-baggers.
 
Old Dominion Athletic Conference 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 a double of her own.  Rhea Schleicher 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 hit a two RBI single, with no outs, scoring Stephanie Clark and Warlitner, taking a 4-0 lead.  Higbie followed with an RBI single, scoring 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 an RBI double scoring Clark from first, taking a 6-0 lead after the top of the fourth.  Messiah found the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning as Stephanie Schell hit an 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 just 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, and Roanoke won its first game in the NCAA Regional Tournament, 7-2.  

Roanoke is now 12-0 this season when scoring six or more runs.  The Maroons are 16-11 in the regional portion of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament following today's win  This year marks the eighth NCAA Regional Tournament appearance for the Maroons.  Also, Roanoke moves to 2-0 all-time against the Falcons, defeating them 9-1 in 2000.
 
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.
 
Kelly Higbie pitched her 30^th complete game, 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.  
 
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, click HERE
 
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Did you know you can view all home games live online? Click HERE to watch live webcasts of each scheduled home athletic event. You can also access live stats for each home event and select away games by clicking our “Live Stats” link on the athletic homepage.