MONTGOMERY, Ill. (naccsports.org) --- Top-seeded and No. 14-ranked Concordia University Wisconsin defeated No. 2-seeded Milwaukee School of Engineering, 5-3, to close out the 2023 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Softball Tournament on Saturday at Bedrosian Stadium.
It is the second-consecutive NACC Tournament title for the Falcons (37-3) and the third overall.
With the victory, the Falcons earned the NACC's automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball Championship. The full field will be unveiled during the annual selection show, which will be posted to NCAA.com at noon Monday, May 15.
Game 10 ---- No. 1 Concordia Wisconsin def. No. 2 MSOE, 5-3
Concordia Wisconsin dug itself a hole early as a trio of defensive miscues in the top of the first inning led to a pair of MSOE runs. Grace Salaja opened the game by reaching on an error at shortstop, then stole second and moved to third after the throw to second by CUW catcher Claudia Utz got away from the Falcons defense. Matta and Salaja successfully pulled off a double steal to put the Raiders on the board with Matta ending up on third after another errant throw to second from Utz. Matta then scored on an RBI groundout by Jenna Trewyn before CUW was able to right the ship and get out fo the frame.
CUW pitcher Gina Followell struck out five of the next six batters, but the Falcon bats were held in check by Kennedy Lehn over the first two innings.
After playing solidly for the better part of two days to remain in the tournament, MSOE started to show a little vulnerability as the game progressed. The Falcons' batters extended Lehn with multiple very lengthy at-bats, fouling off pitch after pitch in an attempt to wear the Raiders' star pitcher down. In the third inning, the proverbial dam finally burst as Concordia Wisconsin scored five runs on the strength of three hits, two walks, and an MSOE error.
After a pair of walks, it was a Raider miscue in the field that allowed the Falcons to tie the game. Madi Wheat lofted a fly ball to center that was mishandled by Salaja, allowing Sydney Erdmann and pinch-runner Rylie DuVal to score. An RBI single by Jess Pozezinski brought Wheat home and Megan Bloyer capped the frame with a two-run single to left.
The Raiders got one run back in the fifth as Salaja scored on a Trewyn RBI single, but Followell was able to get out of trouble aided by a pair of strikeouts. MSOE was unable to capitalize on a hit batter in the sixth inning and was retired in order in the seventh to end the game.
Followell scattered three runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out 10 in six innings to improve to 24-0 this season. Nicki Becker pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn her second save in as many games.
After twirling a pair of one-hit shutouts Friday and taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Dominican earlier on Saturday (see below), Lehn was charged with the loss. She allowed five runs (all unearned) on five hits and four walks while striking out five in six innings.
Salaja and Lauren Stefanczyk had two hits apiece to lead MSOE, while Trewyn drove in a pair. The Falcons were limited to five hits, but two came off the bat of Pozezinski.
Game 9 --- No. 2 MSOE def. No. 3 Dominican, 5-3
MSOE survived a late scare from Dominican in Game 9 to advance to the tournament championship game.
The Raiders grabbed the lead on a Lauren Stefanczyk RBI single in the first inning that scored Grace Salaja. Salaja scored again two innings later, this time off the bat of Jenna Trewyn, to push the advantage to 2-0.
MSOE tacked on three more runs in the fourth as Jenna O'Donnell hit a two-run triple, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Salaja that was caught by Dominican shortstop Liliana Santoyo in shallow left field.
The Raiders appeared to be on cruise control as starting pitcher Kennedy Lehn had a no-hitter going through six innings. The only blemish to that point was a leadoff walk to Geneva Pollman in the fourth inning.
Makayla Barnes opened the seventh with a leadoff single through the left side, then moved around to second on a single by Delaney McRiley and scored from second on a fielder's choice to end Lehn's bid for a shutout.
The Stars followed with three straight hits, including an Emma Woodhouse RBI single to right field and a bunt single from Santoyo that scored pinch-runner Gillian Czubernat to draw within a couple of runs at 5-3 with two outs in the frame. Lehn was finally able to get Ryley Davis to line out to Stefanczyk at third base to end the game.
After posting a pair of one-hit shutouts on Friday, Lehn finished with a complete-game five-hitter. She allowed three earned runs while striking out three and issuing one walk.
Salaja finished with a game-high three hits, with two runs scored and an RBI. The top three in the MSOE batting order (Salaja, Faith Matta, Trewyn) combined for seven hits in 12 at-bats with a pair of runs scored and two RBIs.
Kayla Faber-Cournane took the loss for Dominican after allowing three runs on six hits in three innings.