Loyola Marymount 5, UC Riverside 0

Los Angeles, CA – Hannah Bandimere goes the distance throwing a one-hit shutout and Alicia Brown powers her second grand slam of the tournament as Loyola Marymount captures the 2018 Postseason NISC championship with a 5-0 win over UC Riverside.

A solo home run in the second inning by Delanie Wisz put the Lions on the board.  It was all they needed with Bandimere dealing from the circle, throwing seven shutout innings and not allowing a hit after the first (a Jenna Curtan single).   

Brown’s grand slam, her second of the tournament, would come in the sixth inning, increasing LMU’s lead to 5-0.  She would finish the game 1-for-2 with four RBI.
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Molly Grumbo, Wisz, Brown and Maddison Flores were named to the All-Tournament team for LMU.  Bandimere was announced as the MVP.

Jenae Lockwood, Seanna Garewal, Tayler Misfeldt and Curtan were named to the All-Tournament Team for the Highlanders.

LMU’s journey to the NISC championship started in the Northern Colorado Regional.  The Lions went 3-1 in the regional round, defeating Northern Colorado once and South Dakota State twice while losing once to SDSU.  They did not lose a game in the championship round with wins over UT Arlington (10-5), UC Riverside in the semifinals (2-0) and UC Riverside in the championship (5-0). 

The 2018 NISC is LMU softball’s first postseason action since 2007 when the program won the PCSC Championship and earned the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Lions won their first game in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, gaining their first postseason victory as they eliminated the 11-time national champions, UCLA.

UC Riverside 7, Eastern Kentucky 1

LOS ANGELES, CA - After being shutout the game prior with only two hits, UC Riverside decided to wake up their bats in the elimination game against Eastern Kentucky.

UC Riverside advances to the Postseason NISC Championship game on Friday at 11:00 a.m. PT against Loyola Marymount. UCR will have to beat LMU twice to claim the crown. 

The game was tied one-all until the Highlanders scored six unanswered runs throughout back-to-back innings to extend their lead 7-1 after five frames. The squad combined for 10 total hits and it was the definition of a team effort, as 9-of-10 UCR batters had a base hit. Seanne Garewal led the way going 2-for-3 from the plate. 

EKU produced seven hits and threatened to score on multiple occasions, but weren't able to produce with runners on base. Overall, the team had an impressive run in the NISC and walk away placing third.

Loyola Marymount 2, UC Riverside 0

LOS ANGELES, CA - Loyola Marymount was able to capitalize on timely hits to give UC Riverside its first loss of the Postseason NISC tournament with a 2-0 win at Smith Field Thursday afternoon.

LMU advances to the NISC Championship on Friday at 11:00 a.m. PT.  The Lions will face the winner of UC Riverside/Eastern Kentucky.  

Alicia Brown busted the game open with her solo home run in the top of the second. Lindsey Matoi and Molly Grumbo also contributed two hits each.

​LMU increased its lead to 2-0 in the third and left the rest up to pitching and defense to shut down the Highlanders. Hannah Bandimere threw a seven-inning gem. She allowed just two hits and struck out four batters. The LMU defense made all the routine plays and a few incredible ones as well.

Tayler Misfeldt gave up eight hits, but also struck out eight LMU batters. Misfeldt and the UCR squad will face Eastern Kentucky right away in an elimination game. 

Eastern Kentucky 8, UT Arlington 6

LOS ANGELES, CA -- It was a hit parade for both teams throughout the entire elimination match up, ultimately, Eastern Kentucky's NISC record breaking five home runs sent the Colonels past UT Arlington with an 8-6 victory.

EKU will move on to the semifinal round today at 3:00 p.m. PT against the loser of the UC Riverside vs. Loyola Marymount game. 

The Colonels lineup was hot from the get-go.  Their big inning came in the top of three where they produced four consecutive hits, three of those being home runs to take the lead, 6-2. They scored in four out of seven innings, but were continuously matched by the Mavericks offense. The five home runs out of a team total 11 hits made the difference in the end.  

Hannah Clark was responsible for two of those home runs and had an outstanding day at the plate overall for EKU. She went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a double.  

UTA put up a great fight, posting 9 hits and responding nearly every time the Colonels scored. Whitney Walton led her team going 3-for-4 at the plate.

The Mavericks finish the tournament fourth; players Whitney Walton and Sandra Mendoza both earn All-Tournament Team honors. 

UC Riverside 9, Eastern Kentucky 6
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Los Angeles, CA – The UC Riverside Highlanders will move on to face Loyola Marymount in the NISC semifinals following a 9-6 victory over Eastern Kentucky this afternoon at Smith Field on the campus of LMU.

Strong defense and timely pitching kept the game scoreless through the first two innings, but a big third inning by UCR would give the Highlanders a four-run lead.  After loading the bases with one out, Amanda Lynch stepped up to the plate and recorded an RBI single scoring the first run.  Danielle Ortega would knock a single into right field scoring the second.  Seanna Garewal would walk scoring Chelsey Holley and Jenna Curtan would single to left knocking in Karter Williams.

EKU would get on the board in the bottom of the third on a Paige Murphy sac-fly RBI scoring Melissa Jacobsen.  UCR would tack on one run in the fifth (Garewal RBI single) and four in the seventh (Emma Ramelot three RBI home run) to extend the lead to 9-1.  Garewal would finish the day 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI.
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The Colonels would do its best to rally back scoring five runs in the bottom of the seventh, highlighted by a Mollie Paulick grand slam, but the eight-run deficit was too much to overcome.
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UCR pitcher Tayler Misfeldt would throw a solid six innings for the Highlanders allowing only two hits and one run in the outing.

The Colonels will face UT Arlington in a win or go home game on Thursday at 10 a.m. PT. 

Loyola Marymount 10, UT Arlington 5

Los Angeles, CA -- Loyola Marymount will advance in the 2018 Postseason NISC after defeating UT Arlington 10-5 at Smith Field Wednesday afternoon.  The Lions will play the winner of UC Riverside and Eastern Kentucky on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. PT.

UT Arlington jumped to an early lead scoring three runs the top of the first inning.  Senior Aileen Garcia singled to right field scoring Krista Rude, and Reagan Wright singled to right center scoring Garcia and Whitney Walton to take a 3-0 lead.

The lead didn’t last long as LMU came up to bat in the bottom of the first.  Andrea Gonzalez would record an RBI single scoring Lindsey Matoi.  With bases loaded, Alicia Brown would drill a shot over the left field fence for the grand slam, scoring Andrea Gonzalez, Delanie Wisz and Molly Grumbo.  The Lions would end the inning up 5-3.    

The Mavericks would tie the game at 5-5 in the top of the second off a Walton RBI double scoring sisters Sandra Mendoza and Melanie Mendoza.  LMU would regain the lead in the third scoring two runs to go up 7-5.  They would tack on three insurance runs in the sixth to secure the win.
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LMU’s Brown would finish the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, home run and four RBI. Brown was named the NISC Regional MVP last week at Northern Colorado with a slugging percentage of 1.167 and batting average 

UT Arlington will face the loser of UC Riverside vs Eastern Kentucky on Thursday at 10 a.m. PT. 

​EASTERN KENTUCKY 5, TOWSON 4 (8)
 
RICHMOND, KY – Eastern Kentucky (43-19) trailed almost the entirety of the early matchup against Towson (42-18) but thanks to a pair of heroic swings in the seventh and eighth innings, the Colonels survived 5-4.
 
The Tigers jumped out to the early hot start they were looking for. A sacrifice fly from Brooke Miko followed by an RBI single from Nicole Stockinger gave Towson and early 2-0 lead after the opening frame.
 
Two innings later, senior Johnkyria Alston utilized her speed to leg out a fielder’s choice, scoring Paige Murphy to put the Colonels on the board. Not to be outdone, freshmen Zoe Mihalicz delivered an RBI single to tie the game at two.
 
With a runner on and one out in the top of the fourth inning, Stockinger stretched the Tiger to lead, 4-2, with a home run to deep left center field, giving her three RBI on the afternoon.
 
Facing elimination, Johnkyria Alston wasn’t about to let her softball career at EKU finish just yet. On a 2-0 count, Alston rocketed a ball over the left field fence to tie the game at four and send the game into extra-innings.
 
Momentum in hand, Destinee Lizzmore stunned Towson with a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to force an extra contest.
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The two schools will meet one last time to decide the Regional Championship. The winner will join UT Arlington, UC Riverside and host Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, California at the NISC Championship.
 
EASTERN KENTUCKY 9, TOWSON 2
 
RICHMOND, KY – Faced with the tough task of defeating Towson (42-19) for the second time in as many games, Eastern Kentucky (44-19) took down the Tigers once again, 9-2, advancing to the NISC Championship Round.
 
Madison Wilson started the Tigers off in the same fashion as game one. Wilson’s RBI base hit in the first inning followed by a throwing error in the second gave Towson the 2-0 lead.
 
Johnkyria Alston, one of the heroes in the first game on Saturday, kept her good form going in the second. Trailing by two and with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Alston conjured up a two-RBI double to tie the game. Three more runs drifted across the plate before the bottom half of the frame, giving EKU the 5-2 lead.
 
Emily Corbitt slammed the door shut on the Tigers, thanks to her grand slam in the sixth inning, extending the Colonels advantage, 9-2.
 
In the circle, Murphy McRoberts gave up only four hits, one walk and one earned run for head coach Jane Worthington.
 
For Towson, Madison Wilson delivered the only RBI for the Tigers in game two. Freshmen pitcher Melissa Abrahamian pitched four solid innings before giving up five runs in the fifth. Towson ends its first postseason appearance in program history.
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The Colonels, fresh off hosting a postseason tournament for the first time, will move on the Championship Round next week in Los Angeles. The first games are slated for Wednesday, May 23.

EASTERN KENTUCKY 9, TOWSON 2

RICHMOND, KY – Faced with the tough task of defeating Towson (42-19) for the second time in as many games, Eastern Kentucky (44-19) took down the Tigers once again, 9-2, advancing to the NISC Championship Round.

Madison Wilson started the Tigers off in the same fashion as game one. Wilson’s RBI base hit in the first inning followed by a throwing error in the second gave Towson the 2-0 lead.

Johnkyria Alston, one of the heroes in the first game on Saturday, kept her good form going in the second. Trailing by two and with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Alston conjured up a two-RBI double to tie the game. Three more runs drifted across the plate before the bottom half of the frame, giving EKU the 5-2 lead.

Emily Corbitt slammed the door shut on the Tigers, thanks to her grand slam in the sixth inning, extending the Colonels advantage, 9-2.

In the circle, Murphy McRoberts gave up only four hits, one walk and one earned run for head coach Jane Worthington.

For Towson, Madison Wilson delivered the only RBI for the Tigers in game two. Freshmen pitcher Melissa Abrahamian pitched four solid innings before giving up five runs in the fifth. Towson ends its first postseason appearance in program history.
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The Colonels, fresh off hosting a postseason tournament for the first time, will move on the Championship Round next week in Los Angeles. The first games are slated for Wednesday, May 23.

EASTERN KENTUCKY 5, TOWSON 4

RICHMOND, KY – Eastern Kentucky (43-19) trailed almost the entirety of the early matchup against Towson (42-18) but thanks to a pair of heroic swings in the seventh and eighth innings, the Colonels survived 5-4.

The Tigers jumped out to the early hot start they were looking for. A sacrifice fly from Brooke Miko followed by an RBI single from Nicole Stockinger gave Towson and early 2-0 lead after the opening frame.

Two innings later, senior Johnkyria Alston utilized her speed to leg out a fielder’s choice, scoring Paige Murphy to put the Colonels on the board. Not to be outdone, freshmen Zoe Mihalicz delivered an RBI single to tie the game at two.

With a runner on and one out in the top of the fourth inning, Stockinger stretched the Tiger to lead, 4-2, with a home run to deep left center field, giving her three RBI on the afternoon.

Facing elimination, Johnkyria Alston wasn’t about to let her softball career at EKU finish just yet. On a 2-0 count, Alston rocketed a ball over the left field fence to tie the game at four and send the game into extra-innings.

Momentum in hand, Destinee Lizzmore stunned Towson with a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to force an extra contest.
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The two schools will meet one last time to decide the Regional Championship. The winner will join UT Arlington, UC Riverside and host Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, California at the NISC Championship.
 

TOLEDO 3, AUSTIN PEAY 0
RICHMOND, KY – Kailey Minarchick more than held up her end of an elimination game in the NISC on Friday, spinning a three-hit shutout for Toledo against Austin Peay.

The Rockets (35-22) will face host Eastern Kentucky or Towson in another elimination game later Friday.

Minarchick (19-6) was especially dialed in for the seventh inning, getting back-to-back strikeouts to start the frame. She finished with one walk and four strikeouts.

Megan Choate hit a leadoff triple on the bottom of the fifth inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brittney Davis to break a scoreless tie; Kylie Norwood’s single and a bases-loaded walk to Bekah Yenrick pushed the Rockets ahead, 3-0.

Austin Peay (39-19) got a double from Danielle Liermann. Kelly Mardones allowed just three hits in her six innings of work.
 
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 6, LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 5 (Game 1)
GREELEY, CO – In a game where the teams combined for 11 runs in the first three innings and then never scored again, South Dakota State held off Loyola Marymount to force another title game Friday in their NISC Regional.

Julia Andersen started things off right for South Dakota State (37-17) with a solo home run in the top of the first inning. The Jackrabbits brought home another run on a two-out single from Dana Chavez, and Megan Rushing came through with a three-run home run to center field, making it 5-0 before LMU came up to bat.

The Lions (30-24-1) responded with two runs in the second and three more in the third – in the latter frame, LMU got home runs from Delanie Wisz (her 11th of the year) and Andrea Gonzalez. A runner did reach on an error in the sixth inning but was stranded.
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Sabrina Tebou singled to lead off the seventh inning; Lindsey Matoi moved her to second base on a sacrifice, but the threat was ended on a long flyout to right field, with Tebou called out for leaving second base too early on her attempt to tag up to third.
 
UT ARLINGTON 5, TEXAS TECH 2

CONWAY, AR – UT Arlington scored all of its runs in the second inning and never let Texas Tech get totally untracked, as freshman pitcher Randi Phillips threw 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and the Mavericks won the NISC Region 4 championships Friday.  

UT Arlington (30-26) got runners on second and third with no outs in the second inning after two hits and a wild pitch; after a strikeout, Brittany Wyllie drove in two runs with a single. Laura Curry followed with another single, and Melanie Mendoza’s single drove in a run, with another coming across on an error. Sandra Mendoza followed with another RBI hit.

Texas Tech (31-28) got 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief from Erin Edmoundson, who allowed four hits and struck out three. Heaven Burton and Breanna Russell each had an RBI for the Raiders.
 
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 7, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 1 (Game 2)

GREELEY, CO – Alicia Brown was unbeatable in the batter’s box for Loyola Marymount in the Region 1 NISC championship game, smoking two home runs and backing up the strong pitching of Hannah Bandimere as the Lions rolled past South Dakota State.  

Brown hit a solo home run in the second inning to open the scoring for the Lions (31-24-1), and she added another RBI with a single in the fourth inning that brought in Delanie Wisz. Brown’s work wasn’t finished, by any stretch, as she drove in an insurance run with a single in the sixth. Brooke Christensen also had a run-scoring hit in the frame.

South Dakota State (37-18) put runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, and pinch hitter Paige Gerdes reached base on an error that scored a run, cutting LMU’s lead to 2-1.

Molly Grumbo scored another run for Loyola Marymount in the top of the seventh, and Brown capped her monster day with a two-run two-out home run.

Bandimere allowed nine hits to go with one walk and four strikeouts.
 
UNLV 5, NEVADA 0

LAS VEGAS, NV – Janine Petmecky had all the answers for UNLV in its elimination game Friday against Nevada, tossing a three-hit shutout as the Rebels moved on in the NISC.

UNLV (33-19) will face UC Riverside later Friday, needing to win two straight against the Highlanders to win the regional.

Petmecky (21-7) allowed four walks and notched three strikeouts.

Kiley Harrison had two RBI for the Rebels, and Brooke Stover had two hits and two runs. Petmecky, who also bats leadoff, doubled to lead off the sixth inning and scored on a hit from Justine Federe to make it 5-0.

Nevada (26-27) got a double from Erika Hansen.
 
UC RIVERSIDE 7, UNLV 1

LAS VEGAS, NV – Chelsey Holley hit a two-run homer in the second inning, and Tayler Misfeldt was tough in the circle as UC Riverside wrapped up an undefeated run through Region 2 to claim the championship Friday.

Jenae Lockwood drove in a run with a single in the third inning, and the Highlanders (36-22) tacked on key insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth when Jenna Curtan drove in Karter Williams, Emma Ramelot looped another RBI single into right field, and Lockwood hammered another hit to send UC Riverside up, 6-1.

Misfeldt allowed four hits to go with five walks and six strikeouts.   

UNLV (33-20) scored in the third inning on a hit from Renae Bondi.
 
TOWSON 4, EASTERN KENTUCKY 3

RICHMOND, KY - It was a nail-biter for most of the Eastern Kentucky vs. Towson NISC match-up on Friday morning. Ultimately, a bottom of seventh comeback by Towson sealed their victory.

Towson will move on to the NISC Eastern Kentucky Regional Championship on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET. EKU will play again tonight at 6 p.m. ET in a elimination game against Toledo. 

The Tigers didn't jump on the board until the bottom of the fourth by scoring one run. Again, in the bottom of the fifth they plated a run to tie it up 2-all after a RBI-double from Brook Miko.

EKU responded with a home run in the sixth putting the pressure back on Towson to make a late comeback. It all came down to the bottom of the seventh opportunity and the top of the Tigers  lineup shined. Back-to-back hits from Kendyl Scott, Riley Thies and Madison Wilson tied it up 3-all and then Miko capped it off in walk-off fashion producing an RBI single. Miko was 3-4 at the plate with two crucial RBI. 

The Colonels had control in several points of the game. Hannah Clark came up big for the team multiple times and ended up 2-3 at the plate with a home run and two RBI. 
 
EASTERN KENTUCKY 8, TOLEDO 0

RICHMOND, KY - After suffering a one-run loss in the game prior, Eastern Kentucky came out hot and ready to take on Toledo in their NISC elimination game.

The shutout win sends EKU to the NISC Eastern Kentucky Regional Championship title game on Saturday at Noon ET. The Colonels will face undefeated Towson once again to try and redeem themselves.

The offense performance was consistent throughout the entire game for the Colonels as they scored in five out of seven innings and scattered 11 hits as a team.

Destinee Lizzmore and Hannah Clark were an impressive duo, both going 2-4 at the dish. Lizzmore had two RBI and Clark crushed a team-high four RBI. On the defensive side of the diamond, Murphy McRoberts threw a three-hit gem and earned her second win of the tournament.