NEW CONCORD, OHIO--The Hood College softball team dropped an 8-0 decision to the No. 9 Muskingum College Muskies in the opening round of the NCAA tournament Thursday morning.

After a scoreless first inning, the Muskies (35-9) broke the game wide open with a huge two-out rally in the bottom of the second. Hood recorded the first two outs of the frame on a grounder to short and a flyout to left. But Muskingum's Amy Iammarino got things going with a single to right center, the first of eight consecutive basehits for the home team. The Muskies went on to plate eight runs on three singles, four doubles and a two-run homerun by Jamie Echelberger. Sophomore starter Jamie Gardner halted the Muskingum outburst by getting Heather Fields to ground out to short.

The pitching tandem of Martin and Amy Mattin would not allow a Hood baserunner over the remaining three innings to propel Muskingum to the winners bracket with the five-inning victory.

The Blazers managed just one hit in the contest, a one-out double by senior Chrissy Harvey in the top of the second. It was Harvey's eighth double of the season, matching her single-season high. But Martin retired sophomore Jess Krietz and senior Tamara Maggard on strikes to end the threat.

Hood thwarted a second scoring chance by the Muskies in the bottom of the fourth. Kim Tackett led off the inning with a double to left and advanced to third on a sacrifice by pinch hitter Mary Taylor. Randi Dance then skied one to the leftfielder Jamie Bussey who made the catch in foul territory and fired the ball in to Krietz to nail a tagging Tackett at the plate.

Excluding the second inning, Gardner allowed just two basehits, both to the lead-off hitter Tackett.

Hood (14-20) will take Anderson University (23-13) Friday at 10 a.m. The Ravens lost 3-1 to Bridgewater College in their first round matchup.