It has been a bit of a wait for the Miles softball team but behind the brilliant pitching performance of Kendruena McPherson and an opportunistic offensive effort, the Lady Bears were finally able to dent the win column for the first time this season with a 10-0 win over LeMoyne-Owen on Monday afternoon.

The victory stopped a slide of 19 consecutive losses for Miles (1-19, 1-0 SIAC West) dating back to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship gme last season. But the Lady Bears picked the right opponent and the right time, getting a conference win against LOC (2-8, 0-1), a team it has not lost to this decade - a span of 27 games.

McPherson was nearly immaculate. She gave up a leadoff double to Jamie Tharpe but did not allow another hit thereafter. The only other base runner was Amira King, who reached on an error in the second. The senior struck out 10 and retired the last 11 Magicians after the error. She also ignited the offense in the first inning, leading off with a single, stealing second and third, and scoring the first run of the game on a RBI groundout by Jazzmyn Shelton.

Miles would ultimately score four times in the first with the nig blow coming on a two-run single by Kendal Burrrell. Shelton would continue the damage in the second, driving in two runs with a triple and scoring on an infield single by Lydia Rodriguez to push the lead to 7-0. In the fourth, the Lady Bears put the finishing touches on the victory by scoring three times with two outs. Davis Watkins' bases-loaded single scored McPherson and Kristie Looney. A throwing error allowed Rodriguez to score for the final margin.

The Lady Bears will finish the series with LeMoyne-Owen on Tuesday with a doubleheader. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 3 p.m.