2017 Lexington, Ky., Super Regional Web Site
NCAA Softball Championship Digital Program
LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the second straight year, Illinois Wesleyan is headed to the NCAA Division III Softball Finals after a 6-2, 11-inning win over Transylvania in the third game of the Super-Regional at Hall Field in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, May 20.
Illinois Wesleyan will play next at 3 p.m. CDT on Thursday, May 25 against the winner of the Super Regional between St. Catherine and St. Thomas, which was postponed until Sunday due to rain in St. Paul, Minn. St. Kate's won the opening game of the series by a score of 1-0 Friday afternoon.
Other games in the NCAA first round will have Trine vs. Amherst, defending champion Texas-Tyler vs. No. 1-nationally ranked Virginia Wesleyan, St. John Fisher vs. Williams.
Freshman leftfielder
Sydney Alery and freshman pitcher
Brea Walker were selected as the Super Regional's most outstanding player and pitcher, respectively.
Walker, who scattered nine hits in 10 innings while allowing two runs, threw 184 pitches on Saturday - 61 in 4 1/3 innings in game one and 123 pitches in game two. Junior
Mackenzie Marquis pitched the final shutout inning in the second game
Illinois Wesleyan broke open a 2-2 game with four runs in the top of the 11th. Junior designated hitter
Stephanie Prentice led off with a walk and advanced to second when sophomore centerfielder
Jillian Runyon reached on fielder's choice. After Alery sacrificed the runners to second and third, freshman shortstop
Sam Berghoff was intentionally walked to load the bases before freshman second baseman
Shelby Fulk delivered a two-run single to leftfield to give IWU a 4-2 lead.
The Titans went ahead 5-2 on a single by senior third baseman
Katie Caulfield and sophomore first baseman
Julie Josten hit a double to leftfield to score Caulfield.
IWU scored a run in the first when Runyon walked to lead off the game, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alery, to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Berghoff.
Trailing 2-1 in the top of the fourth, IWU got an unearned run to tie the game. Josten reached second on a two-base error and scored on a single by Prentice.
Both teams had chances to score as the Titans left 12 runners on base and the Pioneers stranded 14 baserunners.
NCAA NOTES: This is the second straight year that IWU has won both Saturday games in the Super Regional after losing the Friday game. The Titans defeated Luther twice in 2016 … In 16 appearances, IWU has a 37-32 record in NCAA competition through May 20.
Go here for complete listing of IWU in the NCAA ... Texas-Tyler, St. John Fisher and St. Thomas (if they advance) were all with IWU in the NCAA championships in 2016 in Salem, Va. ... The 36 wins this year is tied for sixth-most in an IWU season. The school mark is 41, set by the 41-7 team in 2014 ... The 49 games played is second to the record 53 played in 2001 ... Marquis is tied for most pitching appearances in a season with 32. Christy Engel also had 32 in 2010. Marquis' 83 career appearances is fifth most as Engel holds that mark with 111 ... Runyon has set single-season school records in steals (56), runs scored (58), at bats (172) and games started (49). Her 68 hits is second to the season record of 77 by Brynn Hasse in 2003 ... She is the all-time leader in steals (97) and is 10th in runs scored (102).
