Bears win, need another one to reach World Series

Lenoir-Rhyne overcomes 4-run deficit via home runs to down North Georgia

By: Record Staff | Hickory Daily Record
Published: May 20, 2011

DAHLONEGA, Ga --

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a win away from reaching the NCAA Division II women’s softball World Series.

Erasing an early four-run deficit, the visiting Bears tripped North Georgia 9-7 on Friday night in the first game of the Southeast Super Regional.

The Bears (45-8) meet North Georgia (50-10) again on Saturday with a chance to win a trip to Salem, Va., with a victory in a 2 p.m. game. If a third game is needed to determine the winner, it will be played Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

The World Series is May 26-30 in Salem, Va.

LRU used the long ball to rally and beat North Georgia for the first time.

Down 4-0, the Bears pulled within 4-3 in the fourth inning when Megan Laxton hit a three-run home runs.

Kat Rivers’ triple in the fifth inning led to a run – she scored on an error – and LRU got another run on a groundball out by Sarah Atkins to lead 5-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth.

North Georgia regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with two runs, but the Bears wiped that out. LRU scored on run on an error and former Bandys High star Carlee Carpenter put the Bears ahead to stay with a two-run home run.

Up 8-6, the Bears stretched that to a three-run edge for Laxton when Atkins hit a solo home run.

North Georgia closed the gap to 9-7 when Callie Fernandez homered with two outs in the bottom of the seventh before Laxton got Kayla Martin to ground out to third base to seal the victory.