Softball’s Eighth Inning Rally Leads To 3-2 Win Over Central In Opening Game Of NCAA Tournament

Pella, Iowa – Back-to-back doubles were the difference in the Gustavus softball team’s MIAC Playoff Championship victory over St. Thomas last Sunday in Arden Hills. Back-to-back doubles were once again the difference in a 3-2 win over Central College on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament.

Following three complete scoreless innings with the game tied at 2-2, Kailey Morgan (Sr., Mound, Minn.) got the Gustie offense back on track and jump-started an eighth inning rally with a double over the right fielder’s head. Nathalee Boissiere (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) followed suit with a double of her own, ripping a liner to the right-center field gap to score what was the eventual game-winning run.

Thanks to their victory, the Gusties improve to 34-14 overall and move on to face Aurora University on Saturday, May 9 at 11:00 a.m. Central drops to 30-10 and will face Fontbonne University later in the afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Gustavus drew blood early with a run in the top of the first inning. Shelby Nosan (Sr., Baudette, Minn.) led off the game with a base hit to center field and then later advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Paige Breneman (St., Sherburn, Minn.) and a fielder’s choice by Carly Klass (Sr., Richfield, Minn.). Morgan put down the inning’s second sacrifice bunt to bring in Nosan and put the Gusties on top 1-0.

The Gusties added to their lead with another run in the third inning to go up 2-0. Klass got on base with a two-out double to the right-center field gap, and Morgan followed up with her second RBI of the game. The senior muscled a low and away pitch up the middle and Klass wheeled around to score.

Central answered with a run in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 2-1 and then again in the fourth to tie the game at 2-2. In the third, Tabitha Taylor recorded the Dutch’s first hit with a single up the middle, and Abbey Strajack doubled down the left to bring her in. In the fourth, Whitney Sowers singled, stole second, and then was brought home by a Katie Caney liner to right field.

Gustavus starter Sarah Rozell (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) went four complete innings, giving up two runs on five hits. When Rozell got into trouble in the bottom of the fifth, Hannah Heacox (So., Stillwater, Minn.) took over and was lights out from that point on. Heacox went on to the victory after shutting out the Dutch for four complete innings. She faced a total of 13 batters, didn’t allow a hit, and struck out five.

Central’s Mallory Schulenberg suffered the loss after allowing three runs on nine hits in eight complete innings.

Gustavus’s nine-hit effort was led by Kailey Morgan who finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI.

For future results and game summaries of the rest of this weekend’s NCAA Tournament action, please stay tuned to http://www.gustavus.edu/sb. Live video/stats will be provided for all of this weekend’s games by the Central Sports Information Department. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students. Fans can purchase an all-tournament pass for $15. Below is a complete schedule for the Pella regional.

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