Kaylee Goluch
Aubrey Staton
2
Millikin MILLIKIN 30-10
3
Winner Wartburg WARTBURG 24-16
Millikin MILLIKIN
30-10
2
Final
3
Wartburg WARTBURG
24-16
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Millikin MILLIKIN 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 6 0
Wartburg WARTBURG 1 0 0 0 0 2 X 3 10 1

W: A. Nelson (16-3) L: Armstrong, Aly (13-8)

Game Recap: Softball | | Morgan Vogels

Softball Falls to Wartburg in NCAA Tournament Opener

The Big Blue softball team met their first opponent of the 2023 Division III NCAA Softball Tournament in Angola, Ind. on Thursday, May 18. In a rematch of last year's Super Regional, Millikin fell to Wartburg College in a 2-3 contest.

Wartburg started off the scoring in the first inning with four hits as the home team, plating Kaylie Springer on a Sydney Fellows single to left field. 

The Big Blue defense held strong through the fourth, helping strand three Knight runners and keep it to a one run game. In the top of the fifth, Kaylee Goluch's 2-2 count turned into a homerun to left center that evened the score at one apiece.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Knights strung together a Sydney Illg bunt single with an RBI double to right center, then a sacrifice bunt advanced Ella Link to third. Link crossed the plate on Jenna Wiebenga's RBI single up the middle. 

Down two runs and down to their last three outs, the Big Blue rallied. Kendallyn Davison capped off her 3-for-3 day at the plate with her third single of the day, this time through the right side. Lex Tennison reached on a Wartburg error, then Aundrea Jenkin's infield single loaded up the bases. With two outs, Lanie Chizmark drew a walk to plate pinch runner Morgan Boward, but Millikin wasn't able to complete the rally and fell 2-3.

Aly Armstrong pitched 5.2 innings in the circle, striking out five Knight hitters. Charly Warlow pitched the final out in relief, forcing a ground ball out completed by Rylee Blake.

Millikin will look to bounce back in their second game of the tournament against Waynesburg, who fell to top-seeded Trine in the opening game 7-0. Game one will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET and feature the Trine vs. Wartburg matchup, moved up due to the potential for inclement weather on Friday, May 19. First pitch for Millikin's matchup against Waynesburis set for 12:30 p.m. ET.

 
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