GREENCASTLE, Ind. - The Wittenberg softball team earned a Day 1 split in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament that left the Tigers on the brink. After beating Denison 5-2 and losing to DePauw 4-1, the Tigers face an uphill battle, but their goals of an NCAC title and an NCAA Division III Tournament berth remain within their grasp.

The Tigers will return to action at DePauw at 11 a.m. Saturday against the winner of Friday's final game between Denison and Ohio Wesleyan. A win in that game would earn the Tigers another shot at top-seeded DePauw. Wittenberg would need to sweep back-to-back games, however, as DePauw needs just one more win to close out the double-elimination competition.

The good news for Wittenberg is that a Day 2 three-game run has been achieved numerous times in recent years. The Tigers have not pulled off the feat, however, falling one run short against Allegheny in 2013. Wittenberg's lone NCAC Tournament championship was achieved in 2003.

In the first game of the day, senior Rachel Ross (Westerville, Ohio/South) hurled a complete-game, allowing seven hits and two earned runs to Denison, the No. 3 seed in the tourney. Wittenberg, the No. 2 seed, answered with a solo home run by senior Laura Rose (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins) in the first inning, three runs in the fourth and an insurance score in the fifth.

Other key blows for the Tiger offense came from Ross, who hit a solo homer and an RBI single, and RBI doubles by junior Ashlee Wright (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) and sophomore Shannon Lance (Loveland, Ohio/Kings).

Against DePauw, an early 1-0 lead didn't hold up. After Ross drove in sophomore Loren Combs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) with a single in the top of the first inning, DePauw scored single runs in the third and fifth, sandwiched around a pair of runs in the fourth. That knocked Ross out of the pitcher's circle, as freshman Alyssa Durette (Geneva, NY/Geneva) tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Offensively, Wittenberg did not get a hit after the first inning.