Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. - Bowie State University opened their 2013 softball season at the Shaw Lady Bears Challenge against Fairmont State University, suffering a 18-0 non-conference loss to the Fighting Falcons.

Lady Bulldogs' sophomore Cassandra Robinson (Damascus, Md.) recorded BSU's only hit of the game, a single in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore teammate and starting pitcher Haley Flint (Mesa, Ariz.) was the only other Bowie State player to touch a base, reaching on a base on balls in the bottom of the fifth and final inning. 

Flint faced 32 batters over 4.2 innings, gave up 16 hits, allowed 10 runs, walked one and struck out one.

The Fighting Falcons opened the game with three runs in the first inning, scored one in the second and added six more runs in their half of the third inning. Fairmont State (2-0) exploded for seven runs in the top of the fifth to end the game early due to the NCAA slaughter rule.

Sophomore shortstop Sarah Parsons (Stow, Ohio) and freshman pinch-hitter Ryne Hill (Cottageville, W.Va.) paced the Fighting Falcons with three hits and a pair of RBI each. Four other Fairmont State players recorded at least two hits each and the team racked up a total of 20 hits.

Junior pitcher Nikki Nuzum (Fairmont, W.Va.) pitched all five innings, striking out 10, allowed one walk and gave up just one hit.

The Lady Bulldogs return to the diamond on Saturday (2/16) at 11 am against St. Augustine's University in BSU's first game of the CIAA Round-Up. Bowie State will close out the day with a 2 pm contest against Fayetteville State University.