GRAPEVINE, TX. - Making its second appearance in program history at the NCCAA Softball World Series, No. 1-seeded Columbia International University opened tournament play against host and No. 8-seeded Dallas Christian College on Monday. The Rams entered the national tournament with a 38-18 overall record after capturing the NCCAA South Region Championship in dramatic fashion and reached the 40-win mark for the first time in program history with a pair of victories on opening day. CIU defeated Dallas Christian 5-3 before edging Wayland Baptist 2-1 later in the day to advance to the winner's bracket final.
Game One: CIU 3 DCC 1: CIU scored first in the opening inning when Tristan Phillips came home on a Lilli Petty sacrifice fly, then extended the lead in the second on a Carmella Korte sacrifice fly and an RBI double from Raleigh Stewart. After Dallas Christian moved a runner into scoring position in the fifth, Petty ended the threat with a pickoff at the plate before CIU answered with two runs in the bottom half on RBIs from Hannah Murphy and Caydon Thompson. Dallas Christian later cut into the lead with a sixth-inning solo home run and added two runs in the seventh, but CIU closed the game with a flyout to secure the 5-3 win.
Phillips led the offense with three hits and three stolen bases, while Murphy, Stewart, and Sophia Noriega-Mora each added hits. Stewart earned the win after allowing two earned runs over 6.2 innings, and Emily Sampson secured the save.
Game Two: CIU 2 WBU 1: In a pitcher's duel, both teams struggled to generate offense early as Abby Ragan limited Wayland Baptist to three hits through the first six innings. CIU broke through in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double from Petty, then held off a late rally in the seventh as a game-ending popout to Noriega-Mora secured the Rams' spot in the winner's bracket final.
Ragan earned her 12th win of the season after throwing a complete game with five strikeouts. Petty drove in both runs and was one of five Rams to record a hit, while the CIU defense played error-free and turned a double play.
Up Next: CIU faces the winner of #2 Southwestern Christian University vs. #6 University of Northwestern tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19, at 3:30 P.M. CDT.
