ALMA, Mich. -- After trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Illinois Wesleyan softball team rallied back with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to earn the 3-2 victory over Otterbein University in the opening game of the NCAA Division III regional softball championships in Alma, Mich., on Friday, May 12.
 
Junior Mackenzie Marquis (12-6) pitched a complete game allowing just two earned runs through seven innings while striking out four batters. This is the third consecutive complete game Marquis has pitched for the Titans.

With a win IWU improved their overall record to 32-12 in 2017 while the No. 15-ranked Cardinals fell to 34-7 on the season.
 
The Titans will face Alma College (28-8) at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday, May 13, for a chance to advance to the regional championship game. The Scots were 9-1 winners over DePauw in the other Friday game.

In a matchup of two outstanding pitchers the Titans had to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible throughout Friday's contest. As a team Illinois Wesleyan tallied just four hits, but also walked four times.

Things got off to a wacky start in the second inning when an Otterbein base runner passed the runner in front of her leading to an automatic out on the play. On the same play junior rightfielder Maggie Graham through a runner out at second to complete the double play. Otterbein scored one run on the play, but this base-running blunder allowed for the Titans to get out of a bases-loaded situation relatively unscathed. 

The Cardinals extended their lead to two with a solo home run in the fourth inning off the bat of catcher Tory Speakman.

IWU was held scoreless through the first five innings until finally striking pay-dirt in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman Shelby Fulk drove home pinch-runner Mia Massarro on a single to right center to score the Titans first run of the afternoon.

Now in the bottom of the seventh with two runners on, Illinois Wesleyan took full advantage of a pitching mistake by Otterbein ace Gabby Johnson. Johnson's two-out wild pitch allowed for freshman Brittany Murphy to score from third. After freshman shortstop Sam Berghoff drew a two-out walk, Fulk ended the game with an RBI fielder's choice to score sophomore ceterfielder Jillian Runyon. Berghoff and Runyon each recorded one stolen base on Friday.

Illinois Wesleyan handed Johnson (16-1) her first loss of the season after she allowed three earned runs on four hits through 6 2/3 innings pitched.

NOTES: Making its sixth straight appearance, and 16th overall, into the NCAA Division III championships, Illinois Wesleyan has a 33-31 record (.516 winning percentage) in NCAA play, including a trip to the final round in Salem, Va. ... The winner of the four-team regional advances to the best-of-three super regional series, May 19-20, with that winner advancing to the NCAA finals in Oklahoma City, Okla., May 25-30.