MOBILE, Ala. – The Indiana Tech softball team was making their second NAIA National Tournament appearance in the last four years as they wound up in the Mobile, Alabama site this year as the #4 seed after finishing as runners-up in the WHAC regular season and tournament with an overall record of 33-16.
The Warriors would start the Opening Round against the #5 seed, Truett McConnell. After a couple of scoreless innings, Alyssa Fox would put the Warriors on the board with an RBI double to left centerfield to bring home Morgan Macek. The Warrior bats got hot in the bottom of the fourth inning with five straight hits to start the inning. Haylee Pruitt, Mae Griffore, and Kaelie Kugler all hit RBI doubles to score four runs in the inning and make it 5-0 Tech. With a safe lead, Warriors' ace Savannah Bravo went back to work in the circle. She would continue to shut out the Bears over the final three innings, securing the game one victory for the Warriors! Bravo would finish the game with 7.0 innings pitched, eight strikeouts, with zero runs and just five hits allowed. In addition to the win, the senior from Arroyo Grande, California hit another big milestone in the Orange & Black, recording her 600th career strikeout to add to her total as Tech's all-time leader in strikeouts. Kugler finished the game 1-3 at the plate with two RBIs, while Pruitt was 2-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Griffore, Macek, Kiersten Delaney, and Carly Basham would also score in the game. With the win, Tech would move on to face #1 seed and #13 ranked Mobile in the last game of the day.
Against the Rams, the Warriors saw a style of play very unfamiliar to them as Mobile played small ball for a majority of the game. The Rams would take advantage of Tech's inexperience by putting their fielders into some difficult positions, scoring three runs in the first three innings. Mobile would also put in a strong showing in the circle as the Warrior bats could not get anything going in game two, struggling to put together any string of hits. Mobile would tack on a run in the fifth and four in the sixth to take down Tech 8-0. The Warriors drop to the loser's bracket in the double elimination format. Melissa Cabrera would go 1-2 at the plate, while Victoria Boyer was 1-1 after coming in to pinch hit in the fifth inning. Mackenzie Arroyo started in the circle for the Warriors, throwing 2.0 innings, one strikeout, and allowing three earned runs. Savannah Bravo would enter in relief and pitch 3.1 innings, also recording one strikeout and three earned runs. Mallory Stinson would finish the game for the Warriors, recording 0.1 innings and allowing two earned runs. Arroyo would be credited with the loss.
The Warriors move to 34-17 overall and will have to wait to find out their opponent. Tech will play in the third game of the day tomorrow, May 12th at 5pm (CT) against the winner of the first elimination game between #5 seed Truett McConnell and #3 seed Campbellsville.
- TECH -
