MARSHALL, Texas – Linfield University's record-setting softball season came to a sudden conclusion Friday at Taylor Field during the second day of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
Trine University's Emma Lee scored the winning on a wild pitch in the eighth inning, lifting the Thunder to a 3-2 victory over Linfield and eliminating the Wildcats from the eight-team national championship tournament.
Trine (41-6), champion of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, jumped to a 2-0 advantage with a pair of runs in the first inning only to watch as the Wildcats evened the score with two runs their own in the third inning.
Despite out-hitting Trine 9-6 and playing error-free defense behind star pitcher
Tayah Kelley, the Wildcats couldn't push runs across the plate at key times. Linfield stranded eight runners, including two that were in scoring position in the top of the seventh inning when the Wildcats could have seized command for good.
Trine (41-6) advances to an elimination game versus the loser of Friday's Coe vs. Rowan matchup Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CDT (11:30 a.m. PDT).
Baily Paul and
Claire Seats had two hits each to lead Linfield at the plate.
Though she surpassed her own single-season strikeouts record of 252 on Friday, Kelley (33-3) suffered her second defeat in the circle in as many days. She struck out four and walked one.
Trine reliever Alexis Michon pitched the game's final five innings in relief of starter Anna Koeppl. Michon held the 'Cats to three hits and no walks, improving to 11-1.
