Emory freshman Jessica Thomas came through with a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring pinch runner Jenna Lamoreaux and giving the Eagles a 1-0 win over LaGrange College in the opening game of the NCAA Regional in Salisbury, Maryland. The victory boosted emory's record to 31-10 while LaGrange slipped to 25-20.

Thomas, who was named the University Athletic Association Rookie of the Year earlier this week, recorded three of the team's eight hits while senior first baseman Kim Bandy accounted for a pair of safeties. Senior pitcher Shanon Andersen picked up the win, tossing a two-hit complete-game gem and fanning 10 batters, the seventh time this year that she had posted double figures in that department. Andersen now has 424 career strikeouts to her credit, second on the school's all-time list behind Kathy Gordon's mark of 430.

Emory scoring opportunities throughout the game and left a total of eight runners on base. The Eagles had a golden opportunity to score the game's first run in the bottom of the sixth when they had runners on first and third with nobody out but were stymied in their attempt. Meanwhile, Andersen kept the LaGrange bats in check all day, allowing just one runner as far as second base in raising her record to 17-7 on the campaign.

The Eagles return to action on Friday (May 8 when they play Neumann College in a noon start.