IU Southeast knocks off No. 25 Midland, falls to No. 2 Marian at NAIA Opening Round
IU Southeast knocks off No. 25 Midland, falls to No. 2 Marian at NAIA Opening Round
By IU Southeast Sports Information
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The IU Southeast softball team defeated No. 25 Midland 1-0 before falling 5-2 to No. 2 Marian in the loser's bracket final to end the 2019 season on Tuesday at the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round.
The game against Midland to open the day was the definition of a pitcher's duel as both teams only surrendered one hit in the contest.
IU Southeast (33-25) scratched across the game's only run in the fourth inning. The Grenadiers had runners at second and third with two outs. After two close pitches were called for balls, the pitcher Jaylee Hinrichs was distracted after seeing the count go to 3-2, Becca Schoenung stole home and Hinrichs' throw back to the plate was not in time.
The Warriors (31-12) had runners on first and second with two outs after a fielder's choice and a strikeout. Then the Grenadiers resorted to some trickery to advance in the tournament. Pitcher Emily Weiss acted as if she had thrown the ball into center field on a botched pickoff play. The runner at second, Angela Brazil, was tagged out by Justice Kline as she tried to advance to third to end the contest.
Becca Schoenung (13-8) got the win and scored the game's only run in her final collegiate start in the pitcher's circle. Fellow senior Morgan Keefer recorded the game's only hit for IU Southeast on a line drive off of the pitcher.
In the loser's bracket final against Marian, IU Southeast jumped on the board in the first inning when Baylee Krueger snuck a two-run home run just inside the left field foul pole for her second home run of the season.
Marian (51-1) cut the lead in half in the fourth inning when Reecie Gilliam's wild throw on a pickoff attempt sailed into left field and Serena Glenn scored from third.
The Knights took the lead in the fifth when Issy Hoyt and Mary Crumlin each had RBI singles.
Marian added two more runs in the sixth to put the game away.
Emily Weiss (16-14) took the loss in her final collegiate start. She allowed three runs, two earned, in four and third innings. She allowed six hits, walked two and struck out one.
Baylee Krueger had two hits and two RBI in her final collegiate appearance.