-- Story provided by Trine University Athletics --
ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University softball team will make their fourth trip to the NCAA Division III Softball National Championships after defeating visiting Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in the second game of the Angola, Ind. Super Regional by the score of 6-4.
The contest started off nearly the same as yesterdays with a pair of pitchers play at a topnotch level. For the Thunder, junior Anna Koeppl (Perrysburg, Ohio / Perrysburg) made the start. She would pitch the first three innings scoreless with two strikeouts during the stretch.
Trine would finally get on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Emma Beyer (Rochester, Mich. / Stoney Creek) came up second in the inning, following the leadoff who flied out to centerfield. She would battle through an at-bat before finding the perfect pitch send out of the park on a towering flyball to left centerfield.
The Spartans responded quickly to the opening salvo, finally getting to Koeppl in the bottom half of the same inning. Their leadoff batter reached on a single, stole second and then moved to third on a groundout. A second single would then bring her home and tied the game at one. Koeppl would minimize the damage getting out of the rest of the inning.
The bats were awake for the Thunder however and they would score more runs in the top of the fifth. The first three batters would reach for the team, one on a walk, one on an error and one on a hit by pitch, loading the bases with no outs.
After a strikeout to the next batter, sophomore Scarlett Elliott (Utica, Ohio / Utica) drew the RBI walk to give the team back the lead. Beyer would follow her with another hard-hit ball to centerfield, this time bringing in the runner from third with a sacrifice fly.
Sophomore Lauren Clausen (Elk Grove, Ill. / Elk Grove) took over in the circle for the Thunder in the bottom of the fifth. She would quickly work her way through the inning with three straight outs to preserve the 3-1 lead.
Freshman Ainsley Phillips (Yorktown, Ind. / Yorktown) would add to that lead in the top of the sixth with the team's second homer of the day. It was another towering flyball to left center and the 4-1 lead would chase the Spartans' starter from the game. The new pitcher would get out of the rest of the inning unscathed.
In the bottom of the inning, CWRU cut into the lead. After a lead off double a throwing error would allow the runner to score from second making the score 4-2. After another runner reached base, the Thunder would bring back sophomore ace Adrienne Rosey (Schoolcraft, Michi. / Schoolcraft). After starting the save attempt with a walk, she would finish out the inning with a strikeout.
Trine added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Beyer recorded a single with a runner on third to get her third RBI of the day and then sophomore Giselle Riley (Temecula, Calif. / Temecula Valley) would record a triple in the next at-bat to bring Beyer home.
Rosey would force three quick outs to finish out the 6-2 victory in the bottom of the seventh.
Beyer's day, which included a team high three RBIs on two hits, earned her the super regional's "Most Outstanding Player" award and Rosey, after finishing with a win and a save, would be named "Most Outstanding Pitcher."
The Thunder advance to the National Finals with the win, becoming one of eight remaining teams looking to win the championship. The team will have to wait to learn their opening opponent and path to the final series, as the NCAA Championship Committee reseeds the remaining teams for the final event. Trine is set to begin competition in Salem, Virginia on Thursday, May 26.
