2017 Lexington, Ky., Super Regional Web Site

NCAA Softball Championship Digital Program

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Leading off the eighth inning after making an assist from the outfield, Illinois Wesleyan freshman Sydney Alery hit a walk-off home run to leftfield to give the Titans a 4-3 win over Transylvania in the NCAA Division III Super-Regional at Hall Field in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, May 20.
 
The victory forces a decisive third game in the Super Regional to be played this afternoon. The winner of that game advances to play in the finals at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City with play May 25-30. For live coverage of the final game, go to this link.
 
Alery, who had just thrown out a Pioneer runner at the plate trying to score in the top of the eighth, hit  3-1 pitch over the outfield fence for the game-winner as IWU scored runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth in the come-from-behind win.
 
The Titans (35-13) scored their first run in the sixth inning when centerfielder Jillian Runyon doubled and came around to score on a throwing error by the leftfielder.
 
IWU tied the game with two runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, junior Stephanie Prentice got a pinch-hit single and, after another out, went to third on a single by junior catcher Amanda Lack. Sophomore Julie Josten delivered a run-scoring single and Runyon also provided a run-scoring single that tied the game at 3-3.
 
Freshman Brea Walker (16-4) got the win, pitching 4 1/3 innings in relief of starter Mackenzie Marquis. Walker allowed one unearned run on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks.