2024 NAIA Softball World Series Day Four Recap
May 28, 2024
Columbus, Ga. – The 2024 NAIA Softball World Series continued today at South Commons Softball Complex as four more amazing games were played that ended the season of two more teams. Three of the four games saw the same score of 4-3, while two of the four games ended in walk-off fashion.

Game 13: No. 5 Oregon Tech def. No. 4 Cumberlands (Ky.), 4-2

Game 13 of the NAIA Softball World Series was suspended on Monday after several storms rolled through the area causing multiple delays.
Up to the point of the suspended game, the Owls and Patriots had 48 minutes of game time as the first pitch to get the game underway was 20 hours and 15 minutes from restart at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The game restarted with UC runners on second and third with two outs, but the runners were stranded on base after a one-pitch popout to first base.
With a one, two, three fourth inning from the OIT offense, the Patriots loaded the bases with two outs on a hit by a pitch, walk, and a single to the pitcher as the tying run stood on first and the go-ahead run was at the plate.
Kacie Schmidt nearly made the catch in the circle on a line drive right back to her but was able to collect herself and make the throw to first get out of the jam and hold the 4-1 lead.
After a leadoff walk by Amber Gainer, she stole second to place herself in a position to score on a base knock with one out in the bottom of the fifth and she did just that as Makenzie Keatts hit an RBI single up the middle to cut the Owls lead to 4-2.
After the Cumberlands (Ky.) defense posted back-to-back innings of three up and three down on Owl batters, UC platted their second run of the game as Makenzie Keatts singled up the middle allowing A. Gainer to score, but after four runners were left on base in the sixth and seventh innings by UC, they were unable to claw their way back.

Game 14: No. 7 Jessup (Calif.) def. No. 8 Madonna (Mich.), 4-3

Madonna (Mich.) got on the board right away as the single down the right field line from Ashley Rosiewicz drove in Alissa Gauthier from second to lead 1-0.
Jessup (Calif.) responded in the bottom of the inning as Maddy Ybarra doubled to left center field followed by a two-out RBI single up the middle by Sam Lorge to even the score at 1-1.
The Crusaders broke the game open in the top of the fifth inning as Rosiewicz doubled to left field for the 3-1 lead.
The Warriors threatened to close the margin in the bottom of the sixth inning after a single through the left side by Neva Adams for runners on the corners, but later left them stranded.
The Crusaders left a runner on base in the top of the seventh, but as the Warriors were down to the final out of their season, the senior hero, Sam Lorge stepped to the plate and called game.
Lorge sent a massive three-run shot to left field that echoed through South Commons Softball Complex and R.G. Jones Field to walk the game off in a 4-3 victory.

Game 15: No. 1 Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) def. No. 6 Science & Arts (Okla.), 4-3 (8 Innings)

In a much-anticipated game between the Drovers and Saints here in Columbus for a spot in the NAIA Softball National Championship Game on Wednesday, May 29; it was a quick first inning from both sides as only one runner reached base and it was via walk.
After two dominant games in Columbus, OLLU gave up their first runs in the World Series as Kamryn James hit through the left side for an RBI single and the 1-0 lead.
Shortly after that, Kinzie Williams went up the middle for an RBI single to lead 2-0 after an inning and a half.
USAO pitcher Sophie Williams was on point through an inning and one third before Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) responded with a home run to left field of their own as the first pitch Grace Ross saw, snuck over the wall to cut the margin to 2-1 Drovers lead.
Cassandra Valdez rebounded after she allowed her first runs of the World Series with a pair of strikeouts on the first two batters followed by a pop out to third base in the top of the third.
With a pair of outs in the top of the fourth, USAO drove a double to the wall in left field as the Drovers looked to extend their lead for a spot in the Softball National Championship Game.
The Saints looked to capitalize on the two-out walk by Grace Ross in the bottom of the fourth, but a popout from the next batter was all USAO needed to get back on the bats and look to extend their lead.
After a sac bunt from Macenzie Ruth pushed Malea McMurtrey to third base with two outs, Science & Arts (Okla.) plated their third run of the game as McMurtrey was able to score on the passed ball for a 3-1 advantage in the fifth.
Marrisa Bradley got ahold of the ball to send one all the way to the wall in deep center field, but it wasn’t long enough as Ruth kept it in the park for the second out against OLLU in the bottom of the fifth.
Kristee Salas walked to first before Valdez roped an RBI double down the right-field line to cut the margin to one, 3-2 as she moved to third on the throw home.
The one-run game didn’t last long as Madison Garza followed with an RBI of her own to left field to knot the game at 3-3 in the fifth.
Valdez collected the second out of the sixth on a comeback line drive she casually caught.
After a scoreless sixth and seventh inning from both pitchers, Williams for USAO and Valdez of OLLU we headed to extras in what marked just the third extra-inning game of the World Series.
To open extra innings on the championship side of the bracket, USAO was unable to get any runners aboard, but in the bottom of the eighth inning, Alyssa Flores called game as she sent one over the center field wall to walk it off and OLLU pick up the 4-3 win to make it into the championship game tomorrow evening.

Game 16: No. 7 Jessup (Calif.) def. No. 5 Oregon Tech, 4-3

Jessup (Calif.) quickly got a pair of runners aboard on a pair of walks, the first walk from Madisyn Leffle to lead off then the second walk with two outs from Lorge to place runners on first and second before the runners were stranded.
Oregon Tech put the first run on the board in the bottom of the first inning after Lexi Klum grounded out to first for runners on the corners to drive Nita Cook in for the 1-0 lead.
A quick three-up and three-down inning for the Owls defense as they looked to push their lead more in the bottom of the second.
OIT loaded the bases with two outs in the second with a single to left center by Addison Kachnik, a single by Marla Goodspeed, and a walk from Cook.
A Jessup (Calif.) wild pitch doubled their lead as Mick was able to plate a run before two runners were stranded on the base path.
The Warriors got on the board in the top of the third as Ybarra sent a blast over the center field wall to knot the game at 2-2.
On a full count with two outs, Cook sent a well-hit fly ball to center field as two runners were stranded on second and third in the bottom of the fourth.
Olivia Dominguez with the rocket of an arm to get the leadoff out at third as Mick looked to stretch what was a stand up double into a triple.
The Jessup (Calif.) defense continued to make big plays in the bottom of the fifth inning to get back on the bats as the game was tied at 2-2.
Kaylee Winn singled up the middle which allowed Sarah Giles to score from second to pick up the 3-2 lead over the Owls in the top of the sixth.
The Warriors got on a roll in the seventh inning with two outs as Leffle singled through the left side while, Ybarra followed with a triple to left center to plate the insurance run and lead 4-2.
In the bottom of the inning, OIT looked to bring the game back even as Puakea Milbourne reached on a fielder’s choice to short as Cook plated the third and final run of the game for the Owls.
The Owls conclude their postseason run finishing fourth place of the 2024 NAIA Softball World Series.

Two more games will be played tomorrow with the elimination semifinal game between Science & Arts (Okla.) and Jessup (Calif.) getting underway on ESPN 3 at 2 p.m. EST. Following the conclusion of that game, we will get into the championship game at 5 p.m. EST as Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) will take on the winner of USAO and Jessup (Calif.).

2024 NAIA Softball World Series Adjusted Schedule