Courtesy of Midland Athletics
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Without a cloud in the sky and the sun at the highest point of the day, the offenses heated up on day three of the NAIA World Series. No. 10 Midland University edged No. 10 Our Lady of the Lakes University 6-5 in an elimination game on Saturday to advance through the weekend in the NAIA World Series.
Carly Pfitzer got things going in the 1st as she hit a two-run home run to vault the Warriors in front. The big fly over the center field wall also moved her into sole possession of the Midland single-season home run record with 17.
OLLU battled back in the bottom of the inning, scoring the tying run with a sacrifice fly. On what appeared to be the third out of the inning, a flyout to right field. The Warriors were called for an illegal pitch. That gave the Saints an extra life in the inning and they made good as a few pitches later, they struck for a two-run home run to take a 3-1 lead.
In the 2nd, Midland got one of the runs back in the top half as Mia Orduna singled up the middle to bring in Alexis Page who reached on a one-out fielder’s choice. In the bottom half, OLLU went down in order thanks in part to a great defensive play behind the pitching of Aliyah Rincon.
With two outs, the Saints’ left fielder hit a line drive to third. The ball ricocheted off of Roni Foote‘s glove and was caught by Pfitzer who dove to her right to make the final out.
The momentum from the play carried into the top of the 3rd as Emily Prai led off the inning with an infield single. With one out, Pfitzer laced a double to the wall in left-center and picked up the RBI as Prai showcased her speed as she scored all the way from first on the play.
Midland wasn’t done in the inning as Amanda Schmaderer followed with a double to the gap in right center, scoring Pfitzer to put the Warriors back in front, 4-3.
The battle continued in the bottom of the inning as Our Lady of the Lake struck for a leadoff solo home run to tie the game at 4-4.
In the 4th, Midland worked the bases loaded. Orduna hit a one-out single to get things started and then moved to second as Prai picked up her second hit of the day. Kevin Kightcame on to run for Orduna with two outs and the heart of the Warriors’ lineup coming to the plate.
Foote, who had a big home run on Friday, was hit by the pitch to load the bases up for Pfitzer. She continued her spectacular day as she drove in a pair of runs with a single to left, putting Midland in front 6-4.
Rincon challenged the Saints’ batters getting a groundout, a foul out to her battery-mate Ali Smith, and a popup to shortstop.
In the 5th, both offenses were set down in order as the tension on the field and in the stands mounted. They amplified in the 6th as once again the Warriors and Saints were kept off the board.
With one inning left in the game, OLLU worked around Pfitzer who earned a walk in the leadoff spot. In the bottom of the inning, they threatened to pull even as they hit back-to-back doubles with one out to draw within a run. That was all they would muster as Foote caught a foul out down the line and then caught the final out on a popup to the left side.
“We started the season down at OLLU and we always play some really competitive games. They are fiery games and we knew that was what we were going to get,” commented head coach Beth Singleton. “We knew it was going to be back and forth because those girls [OLLU] can really swing the bats.”
“Carly has had an amazing year,” added Coach Singleton. “She came in when she was younger and didn’t know how good she could really be. This year she’s been a leader on the field, letting her athleticism play.”
Statistical Standouts
- Emily Prai: 3-for-4, 2 R
- Carly Pfitzer: 3-for-3, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR
- Amanda Schmaderer: 1-for-4, RBI
- Mia Orduna: 2-for-3, RBI
- Aliyah Rincon: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 K
Midland (41-14) advances to the next round of the NAIA World Series. They’ll take on either Southern Oregon or Oregon Tech in another elimination game. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. (ET) on May 29 at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Georgia.
