ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University softball team's season ended after they were stunned by the visitors from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, who took both the second and third games of the series to advance out of the Super Regional round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
The Thunder opened the day with the advantage, needing just one win to continue their postseason attempt to repeat as National Champions. Debbie Hill took to the circle for the opening game of the day and despite allowing some hits took a shutout into the sixth inning. Unfortunately for the home team the Titans' Brianna Bougie matched here frame for frame.
Trine finally broke the tie in the top of the fourth inning. Macy Rocha led off the side with a sharp hit double to left center field, before giving way to Emersyn Haney as a pinch runner. Haney reached second on a sacrifice bunt and then home on an RBI groundout by Emma Beyer.
UW-Oshkosh responded in the bottom of the sixth, plating three runs to take a lead into the seventh. Bougie recorded three more outs to secure the win and force the decisive game three.
The Thunder went back to Alexis Michon for the final game, fresh off her perfect outing on Thursday. The Titans carried their momentum into the game, plating three runs in the first inning after loading the bases with no outs.
Bougie took the circle again and was somehow more effective in her second game. She held the home side hitless through two innings and scoreless through five.
The Trine defense tightened up behind Michon in the second inning. A highlight came in the top of the third when Beyer made a spectacular diving catch on a line drive to her side of the infield.
The UW-Oshkosh offense broke through again adding an insurance run in the top of the sixth to make the score 4-0.
Scarlett Elliott and Ainsley Phillips started the bottom of the sixth with a pair of singles before moving to second and third respectively on a ground out by Ellie Trine. Karley Trine brought both of them home with a double to left center field. The pair of RBIs pulled the team back within two with a 4-2 score and gave the team a spark of momentum.
The Titans responded in the seventh with another run before Bougie finished off the game and the series in the bottom of the inning, eliminating the Thunder and securing their own trip to Marshall, Texas.
Trine finishes the season with a 43-5 record, the second most wins in program history and just the third time the team has reached the 40 wins mark.