SALEM, Va. - A six-run first inning propelled Florida Southern to an 8-0 five inning win over Le Moyne College in the opening game of the 2006 NCAA Division II Softball Championships hosted at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va. Megan Brown earned the win for the Moccasins (54-6), who scored all eight runs with two outs in the first two innings, while Leah English blasted the first home run of the championships. 

Sarah Reed (DeWitt, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) took the loss for Le Moyne giving up eight runs on eight hits. Kristen DesLauriers (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) and Emma Murphy (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse-Minoa) collected a hit apiece for the Dolphins. Jennifer Winters (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) returned to the Le Moyne lineup for the first time in over a month, but went 0-for-2.

The Moccasins took advantage of two-out hitting to plate six runs in the bottom on the first. Natalie Lang singled down the first base line to plate two runners who reached on a walk and a single.  Two singles and two runs later, English hit her fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field.

Florida Southern added to their lead with two runs off three hits in the bottom of the second inning. Again with two outs, the Moccasins strung together three singles to the right side of the diamond to finish the games scoring.

Brown pitched three innings of scoreless action, giving up two hits and striking out three.  Stacey Bronson pitched two innings in relief striking out two without surrendering a hit.

Le Moyne (32-20), making its fourth appearance in the national championship round in five seasons, meets Georgia College & State University on Friday at noon in an elimination-round game.

Story and photos courtesy of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship