Murdock Shines in Thunder's Super Regional Comeback

Murdock Shines in Thunder's Super Regional Comeback

ANGOLA, Ind. -- Freshman Taylor Murdock (Lapel, Ind. / Lapel) plated four runs for the Trine University softball team as they came back to defeat SUNY Geneseo in the first game of the 2019 Angola, Indiana NCAA Division III Super Regional.

Both teams kept the scoreboard clear through the first three innings. Junior Hannah Kampmann (St. Paul, Minn. / Cretin Derham Hall) started the contest for the Thunder and after a scare in the first buckled down keeping the bases clear until the top of the fourth. The Knights finally broke the stalemate by plating three runs in the top half of the inning going up 3-0.

Junior Ashlyn Kersch started the contest in the circle for Geneseo and took a no-hitter into the bottom of the fourth inning. Trine would get back one run in that half inning as Kersch lost some of her control and walked a batter with bases loaded. But the Thunder would only get one as the inning was closed out with a strange double play at third base.

Kampmann regained her composure in the top of the fifth with the Trine trailing 3-1 and made quick work of the side. In the bottom half of the inning, the Thunder offense started to find its groove. A leadoff walk and a double put runners on second and third for Murdock and she came up with her third triple of the year to bring both runners home and tie the game at three.

She did not have to wait at third for long herself as the next batter, sophomore Mercede Daugherty (Watervilet, Mich. / Watervilet), came up with a double to bring Murdock home and give Trine their first lead of the game 4-3.

Senior Kate Saupe (Farwell, Mich. / Farwell) took over in the circle after Kampmann started the top of the sixth with three balls. Saupe did not give up the walk forcing a ground out and then picked up two more quick outs to end the inning.

After two swinging strikeouts to start the bottom of the sixth, the Thunder put picked up a single and a walk to put runners on first and second as Murdock came to the plate again. She scorched a double down the leftfield line to plate two more runs and build the team's lead to 6-3.

Saupe allowed a single and double to start the seventh inning, allowing runners to reach second and third. But she then finished off her second save of the season with three straight outs including to more strikeouts to end the day with three. Kampmann picked up the win for the Thunder improving to 15-1 on the season.

Trine improves to 34-6 following the victory and needs just one more win tomorrow to advance to Tyler, Texas and the next round of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship. They will take on Geneseo tomorrow, May 18 at 1 p.m. with a second game to follow if necessary.

For more information on tomorrow's games and for links to press conferences for both teams today visit the Super Regional webpage.