NCAA Division III Final Bracket

NCAA D-III Softball Website

2018 NCAA Division III Softball Finals Website
 
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The No. 24-ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team (40-13-1) split with No. 1-ranked Virginia Wesleyan (54-3) on Monday, May 28, to force a decisive game three on Tuesday in Oklahoma City. Virginia Wesleyan came away on top in game one, 6-1, before the Titans evened the series with a 5-4 victory in eight innings in game two.
 
The third and final game of the championship series will take place at 11 a.m. CT on Tuesday, May 29, from OGE Energy Field at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. Go here for links to live streaming and stats.
 
This is the furthest Illinois Wesleyan has ever advanced at the NCAA Softball Championships, with their previous best placing being a third-place finish during the 2003 season. For a complete list of Illinois Wesleyan softball postseason results go here.
 
GAME TWO: (5-4, IWU)
 
Sophomore Brea Walker and Hanna Hull remained in the circle for their respective sides in game two. Walker (13-5), who threw 162 pitches over two games, pitched a complete game in which she allowed four runs and struck out four.
 
Hull was removed after six innings in which she allowed six hits, four runs (three earned, and one walk, while striking out nine. The four earned runs Hull allowed on Monday were the first four she had allowed during the entire week in Oklahoma City.
 
Hull was relieved by Carla Hall (10-1) who pitched two innings while allowing the game-winning run in the eighth inning.
 
VWU once again had their offense going early, scoring twice in the home half of the first inning. Illinois Wesleyan safely prevented two other runs from scoring by making key outs at the plate.
 
The Titans saw their first scoring chance in the second inning following a double by sophomore Shelby Fulk, who was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Maggie Graham. Consecutive strikeouts ended IWU's threat however.
 
IWU tied the game at two runs apiece in the top of the third following a two-out single by Berghoff. Runyon and sophomore Sydney Alery, who singled and walked respectively, each came around to score following an error in the outfield.
 
Walker and the Titans worked themselves out of a bases-loaded situation in the fourth, getting a force out at the plate and inducing a shallow fly out to center to end the inning.
 
Illinois Wesleyan loaded the bases in the sixth inning, which set up a sacrifice fly for junior Julie Josten that gave the Titans a 3-2 lead. With sophomore Kara Bischoff at the plate in the ensuing at-bat, Fulk stole home on a bobbled ball at third to give IWU a 4-2 lead over the Marlins.
 
The Marlins mounted a late rally in the home half of the seventh scoring two runs on a sacrifice fly to left and a single to shallow left which forced the game into extra innings.
 
Fulk set the table for the Titans in the eighth by tripling to left centerfield with one out. With the go-ahead run standing at third, Graham responded by lacing a double to nearly the same spot to score Fulk and give IWU a 5-4 lead.
 
Walker shut the door on the Marlins in the eighth by sending them down in order.
 
GAME ONE: (6-1, VWU)
 
In game one, sophomore Ally Wiegand (19-5) was the losing pitcher in the circle for the Titans. Wiegand allowed six hits, five earned runs, and two walks, while striking out four in five innings of work. Walker relieved Wiegand and allowed one hit and an unearned run over two innings.
 
Hanna Hull (39-2) toed the rubber for Virginia Wesleyan and struck out nine while allowing just one earned run and five hits in a complete game effort. Hull retired 12 of the Titans final 13 batters to earn the win in game one.
 
Virginia Wesleyan struck in the top of the first as Madison Glaubke gave the Marlins an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run to left field. That lead was short-lived however as junior Jillian Runyon led off the home half of the first with a triple to left centerfield and later came home on a drive to left by sophomore Sam Berghoff.
 
After surrendering a home run in the first, Wiegand needed just 11 pitches to cut down three consecutive Marlins on swinging strikes in the second.

Wiegand retired nine straight batters into the fourth inning, but another home run by Virginia Wesleyan gave them a 3-1 lead over the Titans. The Marlins added two runs in the fifth following back-to-back RBI singles by Cassetty Howerin and Katelyn Biando to take a 5-1 lead.

Runyon led-off the sixth inning with a single and later advanced to third following a steal of second and an error, but was unfortunately stranded.