Titans Earn NCAA World Series Berth After Sweep Of Regional Opponents
UW-Oshkosh is heading to the NCAA Division III Softball World Series!
Maddie Fink did not allow an earned run for the third consecutive start as the top-seeded Titans clinched the Eau Claire Regional title with a 6-1 victory over fifth-seeded Piedmont College (Ga.) on Sunday (May 23).
UW-Oshkosh (28-11), which won all four of its regional games by a combined 20-3 score, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning before scoring twice in third frame and thrice during the fifth for a 6-0 cushion.
Fink, who tossed a pair of shutouts Saturday (May 22), had her string of consecutive scoreless innings end after 21.2 innings, gave up an unearned run in the top of the sixth frame but rebounded to retire five of the final six batters of the game. The Titans, who entered the weekend ranked sixth nationally with a .978 fielding percentage, clinched their World Series berth in style, turning a double play to end the contest from shortstop Natalie Dudek to second baseman Amanda Mc Ilhany to first baseman Morgan Rau.
UW-Oshkosh will join seven other regional winners at the World Series in Salem, Va. The final tournament commences Thursday (May 27) and runs through June 1 at Moyer Park. The Titans, who also secured regional titles in 1988 and 2017, will be making their second World Series appearance and first since 1988.
Fink finished the Eau Claire Regional with a 4-0 record and a 0.50 earned run average with 28 strikeouts in 28 innings to pick up regional's Most Outstanding Pitcher honors.
UW-Oshkosh's Acacia Tupa and Gabby Buikema joined Fink on the All-Eau Claire Regional Team. Tupa was tabbed the Eau Claire Regional's Most Outstanding Position Player after concluding the four wins batting .429 with one double, two home runs, six runs scored, five runs batted in, and two stolen bases. Buikema hit .364 with a grand slam, three runs scored, four RBIs and one stolen base.
During Sunday's championship game, the Titans opened the scoring in the second inning as Buikema singled and eventually crossed the plate on Dudek's sacrifice fly.
The Titans' two-run third inning featured back-to-back doubles from Mc Ilhany and Tupa before Tupa came around to score on a Hannah Ritter sacrifice fly. UW-Oshkosh then put the game away with its three-run fifth frame as Ritter plated Mc Ilhany with a single, and Tupa and Ritter both scored on errors.
Fink (20-3) allowed four hits – all singles – and struck out six without issuing a walk en route to recording her fourth complete game of the regional and 17th this season.
Mc Ilhany, Tupa and Ana Iliopoulos each had two of the Titans' eight hits. Ritter drove in a pair of runs to take over the team lead with 24 RBIs on the year.
Piedmont College starting pitcher Martina Maloch (10-3) was charged with the loss, yielding three runs on three hits and two walks in two innings.
Drew Graham went 2-for-2 to pace the Lions (25-13).
Piedmont College advanced to the regional championship game with a 7-5 win over third-seeded Linfield University (Ore.) in Sunday's elimination contest. Linfield University (38-9), which suffered a 3-0 loss to UW-Oshkosh on Saturday (May 22), is ranked eighth in the nation by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
UW-Oshkosh, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season co-champion and league postseason winner, will be seeking its first World Series win this week in Salem.
Postgame Interview • UW-Oshkosh Pitcher Maddie Fink
Postgame Interview • UW-Oshkosh Outfielder Acacia Tupa
Postgame Interview • UW-Oshkosh Head Coach Scott Beyer
Postgame Interview • UW-Oshkosh Seniors Natalie Dillon, Amanda Mc Ilhany, Claire Petrus, Natalie Dudek
Postgame Interview • UW-Oshkosh Seniors Sidney Budzinski, Katie Fontanetta, Chloe Lambie, Kailee Garstecki
NCAA Division III Softball Championship Program
Interviews by UW-Eau Claire Sports Information
Photo by Steve Frommell, UW-Oshkosh Athletics