CLEVELAND, Ohio (naccsports.org) --- The Dominican University softball team concluded its season Friday with a loss to host Case Western Reserve University in an NCAA Division III Softball Regional at Mather Park.

The 23rd-ranked Stars (39-8) opened regional play Thursday afternoon with a 4-2 loss to No. 25 Calvin, then bounced back Friday with a 1-0 win over Penn State Behrend before bowing out of the regional with an 8-7 loss to No. 7 Case Western Reserve.

No. 25 Calvin 4, No. 23 Dominican 2
Calvin struck first as Carly Dole hit a solo home run down the right-field line in the bottom of the first inning. Dominican countered with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Geneva Pollman drew a leadoff walk, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on a Ryley Davis RBI double. A single and a walk followed before pinch-runner Gillian Czubernat scored on a fielder's choice by Kayla Faber-Cournane.

The Stars had an opportunity to add to their lead in the third inning. Kailee Diaz Randall hit a leadoff single down the left-field line, then moved to third as Lili Santoyo and Pollman reached on back-to-back bunt singles to load the bases. The Knights were able to get out of the frame without any damage thanks to a pair of popouts and a strikeout.

Dominican stranded another runner in the fourth only to see Calvin tie the score with a run in the bottom half of the frame as pinch-runner Sage Mougin scored on an Emma Walker RBI double.

The Knights broke the tie with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ali Schultz hit a pinch-hit RBI single and Lily Gaastra followed three batters later with an RBI single through the left side. Calvin retired Dominican in order in the top of the seventh to close out the game.

Brooke Hunderman twirled a complete game for Calvin, allowing two earned runs on seven hits, three walks, and one hit batter, while striking out nine. Dole and Taylor Sanborn each had two hits to lead the Knights offensively.

Faber-Cournane took the loss for Dominican, scattering eight hits and a walk while striking out four over six innings. Seven different Stars recorded hits, with Davis' double representing the team's lone extra-base hit.

No. 23 Dominican 1, Penn State Behrend 0
Kayla Faber-Cournane threw a complete-game three-hit shutout while striking out two as the Stars staved off elimination with a 1-0 victory over Penn State Behrend.

Dominican scored the game's lone run with on a Ryley Davis RBI single that scored Kennedy Marvin. Marvin had opened the game with a single to left field and had moved around on consecutive sacrifice bunts by Faber-Cournane and Kailee Diaz Randall.

The Stars threatened to add to their lead later in the contest, but stranded two runners each in the second, fifth, and seventh innings.

Faber-Cournane was perfect into into the fourth inning before Meghan Petitte rapped a single up the middle. She allowed two more hits in the fifth inning but was unable to get out of the situation unscathed behind her only two strikeouts of the game.

Faber-Cournane was 3-for-3 at the plate in support of her own cause, while Marvin and Hanna Voegtle added two hits apiece.

No. 7 Case Western Reserve 8, No. 23 Dominican 7
Karen Potts homered twice as part of a 3-for-4, three-RBI game to lead the host Spartans past Dominican. Potts led off the game with a solo shot to right center to kick off a six-run first inning.

The Stars stranded at least one runner in each of the first three innings before breaking through with seven runs in the fourth inning. Dominican started the inning with seven straight singles off two CWRU relief pitchers with Gillian Czubernat getting the Stars on the board with a two-run single followed by run-scoring bunt single by Hanna Voegtle and back-to-back RBI singles from Kennedy Marvin and Kayla Faber-Cournane. Marvin score the tying run on a Kailee Diaz Randall RBI groundout. Following a strikeout, Faber-Cournane scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Katelyn Lamm opened the Case Western Reserve sixth with a double to left center. Pinch-runner Jordon Manworren entered the contest and scored two batters later when Potts launched a ball over the fence in center field for her second home run of the day. The Spartans threatened to post more runs but stranded runners at first and second as the inning drew to an end.

CWRU worked around a leadoff walk to Faber-Cournane to retire the Stars in the sixth. Dominican had one final chance in the seventh frame as Geneva Pollman drew a leadoff walk and moved to second as Czubernat rapped a one-out single to center field, but Spartans pitcher Lexi Miskey struck out Voegtle and Marvin to end the game.

Miskey started the contest and pitched four innings before being lifted for a relief pitcher. She then returned to the circle with none out and five runs already across in the fifth inning to get the Spartans out of the jam, going on to finish the game. All told, she allowed two inherited runners to score and was not charged with an earned run. In seven innings, she scattered two hits and six walks while striking out seven to get the win.

Potts finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored,while KaiLi Gross added two hits. Isabella Russo and Kela Jagoda had RBI hits and Nylah Durham had an RBI groundout for the CWRU.

Faber-Cournane got the start for Dominican but was lifted after six batters with the Spartans leading 3-0. Emma Woodhouse entered in relief, taking the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk in 5-1/3 innings. Faber-Cournane returned in the CWRU sixth to get the Stars out of the inning. In total, she allowed five runs (three earned) on four hits in 1-2/3 innings.

Czubernat was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Six other Stars had singles, while Faber-Cournane and Lili Santoyo both drew two walks apiece.