Rio Grande declared RSC Softball Tournament champion, Midway named runner-up
VIENNA, W.Va. -- No. 1 seed University of Rio Grande was declared the champion of the 2018 River States Conference Softball Tournament on Sunday after the RedStorm (35-11) won the winner's bracket with a 3-0 record in the tournament.
No. 3 seed Midway (Ky.) University (23-20) was deemed the tournament runner-up after coming through the loser's bracket and being one of the final two teams remaining along with Rio Grande. Rio Grande and Midway will be the RSC's two automatic qualifiers to the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round.
The tournament, which was being held at Jackson Memorial Park in Vienna, W.Va., was unable to be completed due to inclement weather. The eight-team, double-elimination tournament was scheduled for Friday-Saturday, May 4-5. But weather played a factor throughout the weekend as it did not allow Friday's full schedule to take place, and it did the same on Saturday.
When weather forced play to be stopped on Saturday night, the loser's bracket final between No. 3 Midway and No. 4 Point Park (Pa.) University had just started and was in the top of the first. Rio Grande was waiting in the championship round as one of the only three teams remaining at that point.
The Midway-Point Park game was pushed back to Sunday, and despite yet another weather delay, the contest was completed. Midway pulled out an 8-7 victory with a dramatic win in extra innings. The Eagles scored the winning run in the eighth when Katelynn Mogelberg-Kauffman singled, which scored Tori McGuire from second with the help of an outfield error.
With weather playing a factor once again Sunday night, the championship round of Rio Grande versus Midway was cancelled. Both teams were already assured an automatic qualification to the NAIA national tournament. Rio Grande had locked up a national bid with its RSC regular-season title. When the RedStorm made it to the final two teams of the RSC Tournament, the other final team was also guaranteed an NAIA bid.
Rio Grande beat Midway when the teams played in the tournament. The RedStorm beat the Eagles, 8-2, in the winner's bracket final. That sent Midway into the matchup with Point Park.
Midway scored the final six runs versus Point Park to erase a 7-2 deficit. Kesley Gravens led the offense at 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs. Lynsie Clark and Trista Craigmyle were both 2 for 4 with an RBI. Carly Benz drove in two runs.
Mallory Kruzich earned the victory with no runs and only four hits allowed in her 3.1 innings of reilef. Katie Tarr (4.0 innings) and Tiffany Edwards (3.1) combined on the outing for Point Park.
The Pioneers had 15 hits with Jess Beitler and Lily Pruneda collecting three each. Alyssa McMurtrie and Maddie Horn had two hits apiece. Both teams left 10 runners on base.
Rio Grande enters the national tournament as a very hot team with 11 straight victories. The RedStorm is 35-11 overall and is coming off a 3-0 showing in the RSC Tournament. Rio Grande was 16-2 RSC during the regular season and went on to outscore its three opponents 19-4 in the tournament.
The brackets and pairings for the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round will be announced on Tuesday, May 8 at 5 p.m. ET on the NAIA's Facebook page. The NAIA Opening Round will take place May 14-16 at campus site around the country.
Pictured: The Midway Eagles after winning the loser's bracket of the RSC Tournament to gain NAIA national qualification.