Titans Tie School Record For Most Wins in a Season; Splits Action at NCAA Tournament

OSHKOSH, Wis.—Splitting action on the second day of the NCAA Regional Championships, the UW-Oshkosh Titans softball squad (36-8) advanced to the championship game of the regional on May 20.

The Titans fell 9-1 to Concordia Wisconsin (39-3) in the first game of the day. The Titans defeated the Norse of Luther College (33-10) in the second game 6-2 for their 36th win of the season.  

With the win against Luther, the Titans tied the school record for most wins in a season. The record of 36 wins was set in 2007, where the Titans went 36-11.

Hannah Ritter had her fourth consecutive game in a row, perfect at the plate. Ritter was two-for-two in the first game of the day with a pair of doubles before going three-for-three against Luther. Ritter has gone 14-for-15 in her last five games.

The Titans conclude the NCAA regional on May 20 as they face Concordia Wisconsin at 11 a.m. The if-needed game seven will take place at 1:30 p.m.

Concordia Recap

The Falcons of Concordia Wisconsin put three runs on the board in the first inning with the first run coming from a sacrifice fly. A single by the Falcons' Gabbi Gaziano scored two runs in the bottom of the first.

Hannah Ritter (Sr./Marengo, Ill.), who recorded the first hit of the game, doubled to center field in the third inning to bring home Gabby Buikema (Sr./Chicago) for the Titans lone run of the game.

The Falcons put up seven runs in the third inning, extending their lead to seven at 8-1. The Falcons put the game-winning run across in the sixth inning.

Maddie Fink (Sr./Stevens Point, Wis.) was in the circle for 2.2 innings, recorded two strikeouts and issued two walks.

Luther Recap

The Norse of Luther were the first to score, putting one run across in the bottom of the first inning. The Norse doubled their lead and scored what would be their final run of the game in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Titans.

Brianna Davis (So./Oshkosh, Wis.) doubled to left field for an RBI single as Buikema scored the first run for the Titans. Ana Iliopoulos (Sr./Morton Grove, Ill.) singled down the right field line for an RBI as Davis scored the tying run of the game in the fourth inning.

The Titans put four runs up in the fifth inning, starting with Ritter's RBI single to right field as Haylie Wittman (Fr./Kaukauna, Wis.) scored. With her tenth home run of the season, Sophie Wery (So./Seymour, Wis.) brought home Zoe Malone (Jr./Pittsburgh) for a 5-2 lead over the Norse. Iliopoulos hit a sacrifice fly as Buikema scored the final run of the game.

Sydney Nemetz (So./Marinette, Wis.) took over pitching duties for the Titans, going all seven innings, allowing ten hits, issuing two walks, and struck out three batters.

NFCA All-Region Honors

Fink, Wery, Ritter, and Davis represent the UW-Oshkosh Titans softball program on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III All-Region teams. The quartet of Titans land on the Second Team All-Region for Region VIII.

Regional Recap

In the second game of the day, the Luther Norse defeated the Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets (31-13) 8-2. The Norse were held off the scoreboard for the first two innings before putting two on in the third. The Yellowjackets tied the game up in the fifth inning at two. The Norse put up six runs in the sixth and seventh innings to defeat the Yellowjackets.

The Norse and Yellowjackets were eliminated from the NCAA tournament in games today.