No. 3 St. Thomas Defeats No. 21 Simpson 4-1 In NCAA Tournament
No. 3 St. Thomas (42-3) defeated No. 21 Simpson (29-11) in a winner’s bracket game at the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament May 9 in Eau Claire, Wis.
Kelsie Host (So., Altoona, Iowa, Southeast Polk H.S.) reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the first. Carlye Owens (Jr., Norwalk, Iowa, Norwalk H.S.) attempted to sacrifice Host to second, but Host was thrown out at second. Julie O’Neal (Fr., West Des Moines, Iowa, Valley H.S.) doubled to right. Amanda Armstrong (Sr., Indianola, Iowa, Indianola H.S.) singled to center to score Owens for a 1-0 lead. O’Neal was thrown at the plate on the play.
With two outs in the third, Maria Bye doubled to centerfield. Morgan Betker homered to left center to put the Tommies into the lead. St. Thomas increased their advantage to 3-1 in the fifth when Alison Wright’s fielder’s choice scored Missy Bruggeman. Olivia Graham walked with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh to make it 4-1.
Bye limited the Storm to three hits. Hohneke and Whitney Oviatt (So., Carnation, Wash., Cedarcrest H.S.) combined on a six-hitter.
Due to the impending weather conditions predicted for Saturday afternoon in the Eau Claire area, tournament officials have announced a revised schedule for the tournament. The four games on Saturday will now be played at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Aurora University will kick off Saturday’s action at 10 a.m. Saturday against Simpson. Illinois Wesleyan will play in the noon game, the 10th game of the regional, on Saturday against UW-Oshkosh. St. Thomas and UW-Eau Claire will face each other at 2 p.m. Saturday, while the winners of games nine and 10 will take on each other at 4 p.m. Saturday.
St. Thomas 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 4 6 2
Simpson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1
ST-Bye and Schifert. S-Hohneke, Oviatt (7) and Hock. W-Bye (21-0),
L-Hohneke (15-6). HRs-ST; Betker (8).