Columbus, Ga. – [Schedule] [Bracket] [Tickets] The 2024 NAIA Softball World Series continued today with some hardware handed out, as Science & Arts (Okla.) captured a third-place finish in Georgia. Jessup (Calif.) is headed to the NAIA Softball World Series Championship game to play Our Lady of the Lake (Texas.).

Game 17: No. 6 Science & Arts (Okla.) vs. No. 7 Jessup (Calif.),

• After back-to-back strikeouts to open the game for Sophie Williams and USAO to start the elimination semifinal, Sarah Giles strolled to first base as the first runner aboard, but it didn’t matter as Williams got the strikeout swinging to strand one on base.
• After a leadoff groundout against the Drovers, Macenzie Ruth singled to right center, then was pushed to second on the Sierra Selfridge groundout to third for the second of the inning.
• Jadyn Goucher was hit by a pitch on the 3-1 count to put USAO traffic on the paths early before the runners were left on base with an infield popout to end the first as the game was still tied at 0-0.
• The Warriors got their leadoff batter on base to start the second as Kaylee Winn earned the five-pitch walk to first, but once again Williams got out of the inning with her fourth, fifth, and sixth strikeouts of the game to leave one JU runner on base.
• To open the top of the third, the Drovers starting pitcher recorded strikeout number seven on the day as the second batter grounded out to short for the second out of the inning.
• Jessup recorded their first hit of the game in the top of the third as Ybarra ripped a hard slap hit to second base, then was able to speed her way around to plate the first run of the game as Giles hit a single through the left side with two outs.
• Lorge added to the traffic on the base path with a walk to give the Warriors two on with two outs and the 1-0 lead.
• Kinzie Williams led off the bottom of the inning for the Drovers with a hard-hit ball to short as she reached base on the fielding error. Malea McMurtrey pushed her to second on the sac bunt as USAO looked to plate their first run of the game.
• Ruth hit through the gap up the middle for the RBI single to drive in a sprinting Williams and knot the game at 1-1 as the game headed to the top of the fourth.
• Jessup (Calif.) plated their second run of the game on a throwing error by the Drovers catcher as she tracked the runner back to the base.
• The Warriors rolled through the bottom of the fourth despite two Drover runners on base to hold their 2-1 lead.
• Giles gave the Warriors a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth after a long leadoff shot to left field.
• After JU plated a run in the previous three innings of play, the Drovers defense went one, two, and three for the first time in the game.
• USAO got the bottom of the sixth started with a double from Leighanne Eaton, then a groundout to second as Eaton looked to score the Drovers second run of the game.
• Jessup’s left fielder Neva Adams saved a run from scoring in the bottom of the sixth as she made a sliding catch to keep the Drovers runner at third before the Warriors center fielder tallied the third out to keep the two-run lead.
• The Drovers looked to close the lead in the bottom of the seventh, but Katie Blankenheim for the Warriors ended the game as she struck out the final batter to send Jessup (Calif.) to the championship game.
• Science & Arts (Okla.) finished their 2024 season in third place after suffering their second loss in Columbus, Georgia.