United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Softball - Miller HR Leads Bears to Win in NCAA Tournament

BEVERLY, MASS.--(5/7/09)--Coast Guard had just one hit in its first ever NCAA Tournament game, but it was a huge one. A three-run homer to center off the bat of sophomore Becky Miller leading the third-seeded Bears to a 3-1 win over sixth-seeded Bridgewater State College in the 2009 NCAA Division III New England Regional at Endicott College.

Freshman Hayley Feindel improved her record to 32-4 as she went the distance, allowing just one run, a solo homer, while striking out nine.

Coast Guard Academy broke a scoreless tie in the second inning with Miller's three-run shot. The table was set for the Bears' shortstop after teammate Courtney Wolf worked a leadoff walk, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Colleen Denny. Another free pass issued by Bridgewater starter Alyssa Verronneau allowed Maddie Buchert to trot to first, before having the bases wiped clean by Miller's second round-tripper of the season.

The score would remain 3-0 in favor of Coast Guard until the top of the sixth when Bridgewater State's Allie LeBlanc connected on a 1-and-1 pitch and drove the ball to centerfield for a solo homerun. The late Bridgewater charge wouldn't be enough, however, as Feindel recovered from the homerun by striking out Rachael Sprague and then forced Lauren Cucinotta to groundout back to the pitcher's mound.

Feindel's stuff stayed sharp in the top of the seventh as she retired the Bears in order to take the victory.

Bridgewater State notched eight hits on the afternoon and left five stranded in the 3-1 setback. Despite the loss, the Bears got an outstanding pitching effort from both Verronneau and Stephanie Pierce, with Pierce tossing four innings of no run, not hit ball.

Coast Guard will now await the winner of Thursday's late-afternoon game between second-seeded Rhode Island College and seventh-seeded Springfield College. The Bears will have the victor at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Bridgewater State slips into the loser's bracket where it will take on the loser between the Anchorwomen and the Pride on Friday at 12:00 p.m.