WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – Ravens Softball split a pair of games in the Opening Round of the NAIA National Tournament, hosted by the University of the Cumberlands.
The Ravens enter the regional site as the No. 4 seed and defeated the No. 5 seed Oakland City University Mighty Oaks in Monday's opening game to advance in the winner's bracket.
The Ravens then pushed the No. 1 seed Keiser University Seahawks to extra innings in Monday's finale, losing 4-3 in eight innings.
No. 4 Ravens vs No. 5 Mighty Oaks
The Ravens picked up a run-rule victory in Monday's opener, winning 9-1. The teams were scoreless through three innings of action before the Ravens opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Amanda Waymire doubled home
Kaleigh Small.
The Ravens increased their lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning.
Abby Reynolds and
Alena Velilla singled and both scored on
Rhiannon Martin's double.
After the Mighty Oaks scratched 1 run across in the top of the sixth, the Ravens bats put the finishing touches on the game by plating 6 runs in the bottom of the inning. Reynolds singled home
Lauren Gaitley and
Megan Forsman, then Small singled in
Valeria Villagomez.
A Waymire single brought home Small and Reynolds, then an RBI single by Forsman scored
Mattilyn Peters, giving the Ravens an 8-run lead and the win.
The Ravens clobbered 14 hits in the contest as Forsman led the way at a perfect 4-for-4. Waymire added 3 hits and 3 RBIs, and Reynolds had 3 hits and 2 RBIs.
Bailey Selvage was strong in the circle, pitching all 6 innings and giving up just 1 unearned run. She struck out 7 batters and gave up only 3 hits.
The win advanced the Ravens to the winner's bracket to take on No. 1 seed Keiser.
No. 4 Ravens vs No. 1 Seahawks
The top-seeded Seahawks tested the Ravens early in Monday's final game. Selvage started in the circle again for the Ravens and gave up a pair of singles and then a 3-run home run as KU took a 3-0 lead after an inning of play.
The Ravens had an answer, though, and it came in the top of the third inning. Velilla doubled to right-center and, with two outs, Martin launched a 2-run homer to cut the Seahawks lead to 1 run. The home run was Martin's 14
th of the season, tying the Ravens single-season record.
Keiser threatened to extend their lead in the bottom of the frame but Selvage worked around a 1-out, bases loaded jam by forcing a foul out and picking up a strikeout.
The Ravens got right back to work in the fourth inning. Forsman singled – finishing the day with 6 hits spread across both games – and then scored on a double by Gaitley to tie the game.
Neither team found a run until the eighth inning. After KU worked a scoreless top of the eighth, the Seahawks got a walk-off win in the bottom of the frame thanks to a single, error and another single.
Selvage (17-9) pitched 7+ innings for the Ravens, striking out 8 batters and giving up 7 hits and 4 earned runs.
Martin, Forsman and Gaitley each recorded 2 hits and the Ravens had 8 hits total against the Sun Conference Tournament champions.
The Ravens (34-19) will now face an elimination game at 5 p.m. EDT / 4 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, May 12. Their opponent will be the winner of Tuesday's 12 p.m. EST game between No. 2 seed St. Xavier University and No. 5 Oakland City.
