Rivier Out-Duels Bowdoin 1-0 in NCAA Softball Regional

Courtesy Bowdoin Sports Information

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Rivier pitcher Monica White out-dueled Bowdoin's Kara Nilan in a 1-0 win for Rivier in the opening round of the NCAA Softball Regional on Thursday afternoon at Wellesley College. The Polar Bears fall into an elimination game at 10:00 a.m. Friday against Husson College. Rivier advances to play Eastern Connecticut St. at 2:00 p.m.

Neither team could muster much offense for the first few innings, as Kara Nilan slipped out of trouble in the top of the first for Bowdoin. Rivier starter Monica White cruised through the opening frames, allowing just a single hit over the first four innings and getting help from her defense, as CF Jess Mellen stabbed a Clare Ronan drive on the warning track to keep the game scoreless heading into the fifth.

Rivier loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth, as the Raiders took advantage of a Bowdoin error, walk and infield hit. But Nilan induced a popup from Rivier SS Taylor Cournoyer to keep the game scoreless. The Polar Bears loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but White struck out Amy Hackett with her 99th pitch of the game to stymie the Bowdoin rally.

The Raiders started off the top of the seventh with a long double to right by Amanda Thornton. After Karen Waterman bunted pinch-runner Danielle Magnant to third, Brenna Campbell lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Magnant to give Rivier a 1-0 lead. Molly Nestor attempted to start a one-out rally with a seventh-inning single for the Polar Bears, but White retired the final two batters to close out the game.