No. 20 Softball Beats Up Benedictine in NACC Semifinals

MONTGOMERY, Ill. – The 20^th-ranked Falcons took care of business in the NACC Tournament Semifinals on Saturday afternoon. After a two-day delay, the Falcons bounced Benedictine out of the tournament with a 5-0 victory. The victory also improves CUW to 33-4 on the year and breaks the record for victories in a single season.

Junior Gabbi Gaziano (Beloit, Wis.) scored the game-winning run in the second inning when she dropped a single down the right-field line that scored sophomore Emily Walters (Waupun, Wis.) from second base.

The Blue and White broke open the game in the third inning with four runs.

Senior Kelsey Bollon (Orangeville, Ill.) started the attack when she drove the ball up the middle of the infield and allowed freshman Jess Pozezinski (Lake Villa, Ill.) to score.

Freshman Megan Bloyer (Oregon, Wis.) kept the ball in the infield, but Kelsey Bollon was too fast for the Eagles and slid into home plate safely. Junior Sydney Erdmann (Geneva, Ill.) also scored when the throw to the plate was off target.

Junior Ashley Zappa (Zion, Ill.) closed the book on the scoring on Saturday when junior Claudia Utz (Lockport, Ill.) ran home on a shot to third base.

Benedictine was one of the statistically strongest offenses in the NACC and senior Gina Followell (Romeoville, Ill.) kept the Benedictine bats cold with only three hits and no walks. Saturday was only the second time this season that the Eagles were held scoreless.

The top of the lineup proved to be very productive in the victory with the 1-2-3 lineup of Jess Pozezinski, Sydney Erdmann and Kelsey Bollon all recording two hits. Sydney Erdmann also stole a base in the victory.

The Falcons are looking for their first conference tournament title since 2009 and their third title in program history, with titles in 2006 and 2009. This will be the ninth conference tournament title for the Falcons since 1999.

MSOE is the second finalist in the championship game. The Raiders rallied from down 0-5 to win 6-5 in eight innings against the host Spartans of Aurora.

The original record of 32 victories in a season came from 2011, where CUW finished 32-10.

The Falcons will fight for the NACC Tournament crown at 10:00 on Sunday morning.