No. 25 Warriors Stave Off Elimination; Reach GPAC Tournament Championship

FREMONT, Neb. – With their backs to the wall, the No. 25 Midland University softball team won three elimination games on Thursday at Christensen Field to advance to the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Tournament Championship on Saturday. The Warriors topped Northwestern College in the first game of the day by a score of 5-4 and then swept the University of Jamestown 7-5 and 1-0 to advance to a best-for-three series with Concordia University.
Game One: Midland 5, Northwestern 4
The teams were scoreless through three before a three-run fourth inning propelled Northwestern to a 3-0 advantage. Midland struck back in the bottom of the frame when a single from Bobbi Singleton scored Andrea Cespedes. The Warriors put up three runs in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of a clutch three-run homer from Katlin Anders to go up 4-3 after five.
The scoring wasn’t over for the Red Raiders as a sacrifice fly to left scored a runner from third to knot the score at 4-4. The tie stood heading into the bottom of the seventh inning with the Warriors up to bat. Emily Prai got aboard via a two-out single and advanced to second on a stolen base. The steal worked wonders as a single from Cespedes found room in left-center, and the speed of Prai saw the Warriors take a 5-4 walk-off win.
Statistical Leaders:
–        Katlin Anders: 2-for-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 run
–        Andrea Cespedes: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 runs
–        Hailee Fliam: 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 K
Game Two: Midland 7, Jamestown 5
The Warriors went up 1-0 after one inning off an RBI double from Anders, and the Jimmies found an answer in the third with an RBI double to tie things up. Midland responded in the next inning when Roni Foote sent a line-drive home run over the center field fence to bring things to 3-1. The momentum continued to carry for the navy and orange with a four-run fifth inning extending the lead to 7-1. The inning was highlighted by a bases-clearing double from Anders.
The Jimmies wouldn’t go down without a fight as two runs crossed home plate in the top of the sixth to narrow the lead. Jamestown performed similarly in the top of the seventh, sending another two runs home to bring things to 7-5. The go-ahead run was at the plate, but a groundout ended the threat in a 7-5 Midland win.
Statistical Leaders:
–        Katlin Anders: 3-for-4, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 1 run, 2 SB
–        Roni Foote: 2-for-3, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 run
–        Emily Prai: 2-for-4, 2 runs
–        Aliyah Rincon: 7.0 IP, 5 ER, 2 K
Game Three: Midland 1, Jamestown 0
The deciding game was a classic pitcher’s duel from the jump with the opening innings going by without much fanfare. The Warriors found the eventual game-winner in the bottom of the third when a sacrifice fly from Bobbi Singleton scored Prai from third. Midland’s starting pitcher Hailee Fliam continued to work out of trouble, trusting her defense to close out innings behind her as the 1-0 carried into the top of the seventh. The Warriors got two quick outs via a groundout and fly-out, but a single up the middle found a Jimmie on first. The threat came to an end when the next batter sent a ground ball to Sierra Athow at second, and the senior made the play for the final out of the day.
Statistical Leaders:
–        Katlin Anders: 3-for-3, 1 2B
–        Emily Prai: 2-for-3, 1 run
–        Bobbi Singleton: Sac Fly RBI
–        Hailee Fliam: 7.0 IP, 2 hits, 2 K
Up Next
Top-seeded Midland (36-8) will take on third-seeded Concordia (32-9) in a best-for-three series on Saturday at Christensen Field. First pitch of the championship is set for 11:00 a.m. Midland and Concordia split in their regular season doubleheader with the Bulldogs taking game one 6-3 and the Warriors claiming a 3-0 game two in Seward, Neb.