RECAP | Softball Gets Program's First Ever NCAA Tournament Win vs. Bellhaven

DECATUR, Illinois - For the third time in the history of the Mount St. Joseph University softball program, they qualified for the NCAA Tournament. They also qualified for the tournament back in 2002 & 2003, but thanks to a 4-3 come from behind win against #12 Bellhaven they finally have their first ever NCAA Tournament victory.

After dropping their first game to DePauw the Lions would have to sit and wait to find out who their next opponent would be. For the second time in as many games, it would be a regular season rematch. This time they would square off with Bellhaven, who they lost to way back in the second game of the season. That game was a tight affair as Bellhaven took a 2-1 walk-off win from The Mount.

Once again Coach Goderwis turned to senior ace Sarah Miller to take the ball, this time with her team facing elimination. Miller as has been the case throughout her career, battled the entire game and gave the Lions a chance in the game. Similar to yesterday's game the defense let her down early, as Bellhaven scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning on an MSJ error. All told she threw the first 3.1 innings of the game allowing just one earned run (three total) while striking out three. 

Trailing 2-0 and seeing their season slipping away from them, seniors Alehia Tucker and Brooke Otto single handedly got the Lions back into the game. The Lions top of the order duo hit back-to-back homeruns in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 2.

After a pair of walks and a sac bunt to open the bottom of the fourth, Coach Goderwis handed the ball to her dominant junior pitcher Kamryn McCool. McCool was absolutely dominant, after allowing a two-out go ahead single. Over the final 3.2 innings of the game she allowed three hits and zero runs while striking out four. 

With the Blazers leading 3-2 the teams exchanged zeroes in the fifth inning. With possibly just 6 outs remaining in her college career again it was Tucker who got the Lions going, blasting a lead-off ground rule double to straight away centerfield. Otto followed that up by working, setting the stage for Elizabeth Ivers. Ivers laced an RBI single into centerfield, enough to surely tie the game with Tucker's speed. After a misplay in center thought Otto came all the way around from first to score, pushing the Lions ahead 4-3.

The slim one run lead was plenty for McCool, who allowed only a single base runner over the final two innings to secure the win. 

"We finally got the monkey off of our back, we have been in this tournament twice before as a program. But we finally got that first win, but like I said to the team we aren't dont yet." Said Coach Goderwis

UP NEXT: 
The Lions will take to the field again tomorrow at 10:00 am (central), but again they await an opponent. They will play the loser of the DePauw vs. Calvin game that is happening later this evening. 

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