SPRINGFIELD, Ohio—Wittenberg softball claimed the regular season NCAC Crown with a clean-sweep in Sunday's double-header against Wooster. The Tigers took two games from the Fighting Scots by the sore of 2-0 and 6-4 on their way to an impressive 15-1 mark in NCAC league play. The Tigers reward is the #1 seed in the 2018 NCAC Tournament, as well homefield advantage as this year's tournament will be played at Wittenberg on May 4 and May 5.
GAME ONE: Wittenberg tallied their first run of the ball-game via a sac fly off the bat of Olivia Hopkins who plated Katy Baumgartner on a ball hit deep to left-field. With a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Hopkins plated a much needed insurance run on an RBI single to center-field, as Lauren Buelow scored. Abby Haab was dominant in the circle for Wittenberg, earning her ninth win of the year in a complete game shutout performance where Wooster only recorded six hits.
GAME TWO: Wittenberg trailed the Fighting Scots 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning before Abby Curnutte got a hold of a fastball, depositing a two-run homer to deep left-center, cutting the Wooster lead to one. The bottom of the fifth saw the Tigers take the lead back for good, as Hopkins hit a three-run homer to left-center, plating Baumgartner and Elyssa LaBine. With a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Alex Gibson doubled down the left-field line, plating Curnutte to give the Tigers a 6-4 lead. In relief of freshman Katelyn Niswonger, Chelsea Zang logged 4.2 innings in the circle, surrendering one earned run while striking out three in her ninth win of the season.
NCAC Tournament
The Tournament will be held this Friday-Saturday, May 4-5, at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.
Friday, May 4th
Game 1: #2 Denison vs. #3 DePauw, 10 AM
Game 2: #1 Wittenberg vs. #4 Allegheny, 12 PM
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2 PM
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 4 PM
Saturday, May 5th
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 11 AM
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 1 PM
Game 7: Same Teams as Game 6 (if necessary 3 PM)
Seeding
1. Wittenberg (15-1)
2. Denison (13-3)
3. DePauw (13-3)
4. Allegheny (10-6)
The Seeds & Pairings are now set for the 2018 NCAC Softball Tournament, set to begin this Friday, May 4th, @WittAthletics in Springfield, Ohio -- https://t.co/thQMueyynW#NCACSB18 #ncacpride pic.twitter.com/gO2TOn7rCZ
— NCAC (@NCAC) April 30, 2018
Introducing your 2018 Regular Season @NCAC Champs! @WittSoftball ran through NCAC play, finishing with a 15-1 mark in league play #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/4EPNdzh7gc
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) April 29, 2018