It was “Breakfast in Athens” for the Lipscomb Lady Bisons as they opened the 2011 season Friday at the Red & Black Showcase at the University of Georgia.

The Lady Bisons spotted Iowa from the Big 10 four runs in the first inning, but fought back for a 5-4 win. The Lady Bisons started on a less than successful note, falling 1-0 to East Carolina in the first game of the tournament. The Lady Bisons had as many as three freshmen on the field in each game, but did not commit an error in 14 innings.

Lady Bisons 5, Iowa 4

In the Iowa game freshman Lipscomb pitcher J .J. Nelson had a rough first inning in her collegiate debut. She walked two batters and hit another and then allowed a run to score on an illegal pitch. She also gave up a three-run home run to left field by Jenny Schuelke.

The Lady Bisons had seven hits.

Nelson pitched 3.1 innings and gave up two hits. She walked six and allowed four runs, all earned. Whitney Kiihnl of Batesville came on in relief and threw 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing two hits.

East Carolina 1, Lady Bisons 0

Kiihnl threw a complete game for the Lady Bisons against East Carolina. She scattered four hits, struck out seven and walked eight, a personal career high. Toni Paisley pitched a complete game for East Carolina. She gave up two hits, struck out 12 and walked two.

Ryman had expected a pitching duel.

East Carolina scored the lone run of the game in the second inning when Kiihnl walked a batter with bases loaded. Jordan Lewis had opened the inning with a single through the left side. Kiihnl then walked three batters, two with two outs, including Kristi Oshiro who brought in Lewis.

“Early on we could tell Whitney was not quite where she needed to be,” Ryman said. “She got better and more comfortable as the game went on.

“I was really proud of the way she came back in the second game. But the walks were a big killer in the first game. Most of their runners were from walks.”

Maryland 4, Lady Bisons 3

The Lipscomb Lady Bisons jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Maryland answered with four runs in the fourth inning for a 4-3 win.

In the Maryland game Nelson started on the mound for the Lady Bisons and threw three shutout innings before giving up four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

With two outs in the inning Whitney Kiihnl replaced Nelson on the mound. In 2.1 innings Kiihnl struck out five.

Illinois St. 2, Lady Bisons 0

Saturday afternoon the Lady Bisons spotted Illinois State two runs in the first inning. Those would be the only runs scored by either team as the Lady Bisons fell 2-0. It was the second time the Lady Bisons had been shut out in the tournament.

Kiihnl was on the mound for the Lady Bisons. She struck out six and scattered four hits. She did not walk a batter.

Both Kiihnl and third baseman Rena’ Cothron committed errors in the first inning. Caiti Kopp slammed a double to left field that scored two runners. Both runs were unearned.

Kiihnl, Courtney Billington, Caroline Mason and Thurman each had hits for the Lady Bisons.

Geogia 7, Lady Bisons 4

The Lipscomb Lady Bisons led 2-0 against the No.3-ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs, but fell 7-4 Sunday afternoon in the Red & Black Showcase in Athens, Ga.

Georgia capitalized on five singles, a double and a fielding error to push six runs across the plate in the sixth inning. Georgia scored its first run of the game in the fifth.

Both teams were scoreless in the first three innings.

The Lady Bisons went into the seventh inning trailing 7-3. They added one more run in the final frame. Bridgette Begle singled to right field. Whitney Kiihnl reached on a single to the pitcher. With two outs Thurman singled to right field to score Begle.

Kiihnl started the game for the Lady Bisons. She gave up nine hits and five earned runs. She struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Nelson pitched two-thirds of an inning and did not give up a hit or a run.

The Lady Bisons finished the tournament with a 1-4 record.