Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
ST. LOUIS, Missouri – The Illinois College softball program defeated Capital University 6-4 on Friday afternoon to advance in the NCAA Division III Softball Championship, but the Lady Blues’ season came to a close against #7 WashU in a 4-3 defeat Friday evening.
In game one, Illinois College jumped on the Comets early. The Lady Blues scored twice in the opening inning on an RBI double by Alivia Darbe and an RBI single by Shelby Seiler.
Three more runs crossed home in the second as IC led 5-0. Gabby Miller singled home a pair and two batters later, Darbe raced home on a wild pitch. The lead grew in the fourth thanks to a wild pitch that plated Ezzy Mauermann, padding Illinois College’s lead to 6-0.
Meanwhile, Cambria Currie was dealing in the circle. The sophomore was perfect through 4 ? innings in holding Capital scoreless through five. The Comets got four runs back in the sixth, but the Lady Blues stranded the tying run at the plate to end the frame.
Capital put the tying run on base in the seventh but Currie, pitching in relief, worked around the traffic as IC staved off elimination.
Illinois College only had six hits in the game, and Darbe led the charge offensively (2x3, RBI, run). Currie got the win in the circle, throwing 6.1 innings while allowing just three hits.
A pitcher's duel ensued in game two until WashU scored the first three runs of the game, plating two in the fourth and one in the fifth. However, IC tied the game with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth. Darbe continued her postseason tear, scoring Miller in the fifth on a double. Then, Brooke Loveall connected on a ground-rule double to score Darbe and IC was back in it. In the sixth inning, Mauermann tied the game after Seiler reached first on a throwing error. The Lady Blues loaded the bases in the sixth with one out, but a popout and flyout ended the threat.
With one out in the seventh, WashU got the go-ahead run on a solo homer by Kristian Donaldson. The Bears retired IC in order in the bottom of the seventh to advance to the regional final with a 4-3 win.
Darbe went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to lead IC offensively. In the circle, Jordan Closs got the start and went 3.1 innings, surrendering seven hits and one earned run. Currie took the loss after 3.2 innings of work, giving up three hits and three earned runs.
Illinois College ends its season at 34-12. The Lady Blues swept both the Midwest Conference regular season and tournament titles en route to their third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six seasons.