By IWU Sports Information
OKLAHOMA CITY – The No. 24-ranked Illinois Wesleyan softball team (40-14-1) fell to No. 1-ranked Virginia Wesleyan (55-3) in the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championship game at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium on Tuesday, May 29, by a final score of 3-1.
IWU forced a decisive game three in the best-of-three series with a 5-4 win over the Marlins in Monday’s second game.
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Illinois Wesleyan had three players named to the all-tournament team in junior Jillian Runyon and sophomores Sam Berghoff and Brea Walker. Runyon was a force to be reckoned with on the base-paths all tournament long, stealing six times and scoring eight runs. Berghoff drove home six base runners during the tournament and Walker pitched in all three games for the Titans during the championship series, highlighted by her eight-inning winning performance in game two.
Virginia Wesleyan, who defeated St. John Fisher in last year’s final, repeated as the NCAA Division III National Champion. The Marlins also received three all-tournament team honors including the tournament’s “Most Outstanding Player”, sophomore lefthanded pitcher Hanna Hull.
Walker (13-6) started in the circle for the Titans following a 162-pitch performance Monday. Walker threw 79 pitches in game, three allowing six hits, three earned runs, and two walks while striking out two over five innings.
Game one’s starter, sophomore Ally Wiegand, pitched in relief of Walker and struck out two batters in one inning of work.
Hull (40-2), who started in all three games of the championship series for the Marlins, allowed just one hit and one earned run, while striking out three in a complete game effort. Following a walk of Berghoff in the first inning, Hull allowed just two base-runners for the remainder of the contest.
IWU didn’t waste any time adding a tally to the run column as they took a 1-0 lead over Virginia Wesleyan in the top of the first inning. Runyon was hit ny a pitch to lead off the game, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice by sophomore Sydney Alery. Runyon came home on a wild pitch on ball four to Berghoff.
The Marlins weren’t going to make it easy however, taking a 2-1 lead over the Titans in the home half of the first on Madison Glaubke’s second home run of the championship series and seventh of the season.
Sophomore second baseman Shelby Fulk earned the Titans’ lone hit of the game in the fourth inning with a double to left centerfield. Fulk advanced to third on a fly out by junior third baseman Julie Josten, but was unable to score.
Virginia Wesleyan extended their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth following a deep sacrifice fly to left off the bat of Cassetty Howerin that scored Kiersten Richardson.
This is the highest Illinois Wesleyan has ever placed at the NCAA Softball Championships, with their previous best placing being a third-place finish during the 2003 season. For a complete list of Illinois Wesleyan softball postseason results go here. The 2018 softball team is the third team in Illinois Wesleyan athletics history to finish as the national runner-up alongside women’s indoor track in 2016 and men’s golf in 2011.
