LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Indiana Tech Warriors entered day two of the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round with one win under their belt after defeating the No. 2 seed in the Lawrenceville Bracket, College of Coastal Georgia, 2-1 on Monday morning. No. 1 seeded Georgia Gwinnett College defeated No. 4 seeded Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (Ind.) 4-1 on Monday, meaning No. 3 seed Indiana Tech would face No. 1 seed Georgia Gwinnett Tuesday morning with the winner moving onto the third and final day of the opening round on Wednesday. The loser would face off in an elimination game against the winner of the elimination game between No. 2 seed Coastal Georgia and No. 4 seed Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Tuesday morning kicked off with the Warriors playing the No. 1 seed and host in the Lawrenceville Bracket and No. 8 overall seed in the country, Georgia Gwinnett. The Warriors would strike first in the top of the first inning after Alyssa Fox doubled to open the game and then Maire Trouba reached first on a sacrifice bunt and throwing error by the Grizzlies third baseman that allowed Fox to score the games first run. However, Georgia Gwinnett would take control over the next two innings scoring two runs in the bottom of the first and three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 5-1 lead. The Warriors offense would struggle to get anything going against the Grizzlies star pitcher, Annalise Wood, the Continental Athletic Conference Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year. She surrendered just two hits and strikeout 12 Warriors in the game. The Grizzlies would add a run in the fourth and sixth innings to secure the 7-1 victory and advance to the final day of the Opening Round on Wednesday. Meanwhile, for the Warriors, they would pick up their first loss of the double elimination Opening Round and face a must win game in the afternoon.

After No. 2 seed Coastal Georgia eliminated No. 4 seed Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, the second elimination game of the day would be a rematch of yesterday's exciting 2-1 victory for Indiana Tech over Coastal Georgia. However, today's excitement would be for the Mariners, as they won their second straight elimination game of the day and knocked out the Warriors. It was another rough game for the Warriors offense as they only managed three hits against the Mariners, courtesy of Jordan Dippel, Alexis Galloway, and Trouba. Coastal Georgia got on the board in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead and added two runs in the sixth, as they went on to win 3-0 and eliminate the Warriors. The Warriors tried to stage a comeback in the bottom of the seventh but could not bring anyone home, stranding two runners left on base. Savannah Bravo was on the mound for Tech, making her second start and third appearance of the Opening Round over the course of just two days. In the game, she pitched all seven innings and threw five strikeouts, while surrendering nine hits and three runs.

The Warriors end the season at the National Championship Opening Round with a final record of 41-12, the most wins in program history. They also won the WHAC regular season title this season for the first time in program history with a record of 18-4 in conference play.

- TECH -