ADA, OHIO -- The third-seed Baldwin-Wallace University softball team defeated top-seeded Ohio Northern University, 2-1 in nine innings, today (Saturday, May 7) in the 2011 Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Game at the ONU Softball Field in Ada to capture the 2011 OAC title. The Yellow Jackets won the game and their first-ever OAC softball crown when freshman shortstop Lauren Feciuch (Kent/ Field) hit a walkoff homerun with two outs in the ninth.
But, despite beating ONU both times at the OAC Tournament and in two of three meetings this season and all in Ada, ONU will receive the OAC's automatic berth in this year's NCAA Division III National Tournament while the Yellow Jackets are left hoping to earn an At-Large berth.
The OAC Softball Tournament is a double elimination tournament consisting of the top four regular season finishers. John Carroll University and ONU tied for the best regular season record. The Polar Bears won a tie-breaker with JCU to earn the top seed and host site. Due to a quirk in the OAC rules, if the regular season winner advances to the OAC Championship Game, it receives the automatic berth. So far, that rule has benefited ONU in both 2010 and this season. A year ago, JCU won the tourney title but ONU received the NCAA berth.
With its win, B-W is now 27-9 overall, has won six straight games, 11 of its last 12 and moved within one win of tying the school single-season record of 28 (BW finished 28-11 in 1992). ONU, which had to beat JCU, 5-3, and the University of Mount Union,14-7, to make it to the championship game, advances to the NCAA tourney with a 26-12 record.
B-W opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when senior first baseman Katrina Resek (Strongsville) led off with a double and scored when All-OAC freshman leftfielder Ashley Elber (Huron/ Milan Edison) followed with a run-scoring single. ONU tied the game in the top of the seventh on a solo homerun.
At the plate, Elber and senior Academic All-American CF Tanya Davis (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) led the way as each player had two base hits. On the mound, freshman Justina Wise (New London) made her 19th start this season, gained her 15th victory for a 15-5 record as she pitched all nine innings for her 12th complete game of the season. She allowed seven Polar Bears hits, one run (earned), struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Fecuich, Wise, Elber, and junior second baseman Katie Finley (Vermilion) were selected to the OAC All-Tournament Team.
The NCAA will announce its at-large berths to the Division III national tournament on Monday. The only other time BW earned an NCAA bid was in 1992.
FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics
