DAHLONEGA, Ga. – In a rematch of the semifinal round of the South Atlantic Conference Championship, the fifth-seeded Queens University of Charlotte softball team (35-16) faced off for the fourth time this season against fourth-seeded Coker College (36-16) today in the first round of the NCAA Division II Southeast 1 Regional from Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium. 
 
In the end, the Cobras pitching staff was able to shut down the bats of the Royals en route to a 2-0 victory in the first game of the double-elimination tournament. 
 
Courtney Pearson (16-10) got the start in the circle for Queens and went the distance, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks in six innings. She struck out six. 
 
Pearson got into a jam early on in the first inning by loading the bases, but she battled her way through it and escaped by allowing only one run to score off a sacrifice fly to center field. Coker then put its second and final run on the board in the third inning before lightning delayed the contest for over two hours with two outs in the bottom half of the frame. 
 
Pearson settled in nicely after the extended delay, blanking the Cobras for the final 3.1 innings, but her efforts came up just short as the Royals were held to one hit following the first inning. 
 
Abby Lathan led Queens at the plate with two hits from the five-hole in the lineup. She singled in the first inning down the right field line and came close to putting the Royals on the board early, but Sara Ingoldsby was gunned down by the right fielder's throw to the plate as she tried to score from second base. It would be the closest Queens came to scoring on the day. 
 
Lathan also led off the top of the seventh inning with a single, but was unable to advance into scoring position for Queens to get a potential late-game rally started. Ingoldsby recorded the lone other hit for Queens on a first-inning single up the middle. 
 
Christine Carver (19-7) picked up the win for the Cobras after receiving the start. She pitched the first three innings and allowed no runs on two hits and no walks while striking out five. She was removed after the lightning delay and replaced by Taylor Forehand, who closed out the final four innings by giving up no runs on just one hit to go with three putouts and no walks.  
 
Up against elimination, Queens will look to extend its season on Friday against eighth-seeded King University (34-21) with first pitch slated for 2:30 p.m. King, of Conference Carolinas, is coming off a first-round 5-2 defeat to top-seeded North Georgia after getting limited to two hits.