Two Walk-Off Wins Take Softball to SLIAC Championship Game

PEORIA, Ill. – The second-seeded Fontbonne University softball team moved to the championship game of the 2023 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference against Spalding University. The team improved to 24-17 on the season.

Fontbonne earned two walk-off wins on the day to advance, defeating Greenville in eight innings 4-3, and then Webster, 2-1.

Game One

By The Numbers:

3 – Ashley Carrow drove in three runs. Allysa Ibarra recorded three hits.

2 – Lilly Jones scored two runs. Ashley Carrow hit two hits.

1 – Patience Vandermierden scored one run. Ellie Bartlett and Makenzie Howell each had one RBI.

How it Happened:

Ashley Carrow hit a sac fly to bring home Lilly Jones, on the top of the first.

On top of the third, Greenville scored one run to tie the game, 1-1.

Makenzie Howell hit a triple to score Patience Vandermierden. Then, Ashley Carrow hit a double to plate Makenzie Howell and increase the lead for the Griffins, 3-1.

Grenville scored two on the top of the sixth to tie the game 3-3.

Both teams were unable to score in seventh to take the game into extra innings.

On top of the eighth, Greenville took the lead for the first time during the game.

On the bottom of the eighth, Ashley Carrow hit an RBI single up the middle to advance Kassidy Chrisco to second and bring home Lilly Jones to tie the game once again, 4-4. Ellie Bartlett grounded out to second base and bring home Kassidy Chrisco, avoiding elimination in the SLIAC tournament and end of the season.

Hailey Kutz pitched the complete game and was credited with the win in the circle. She struck out eight and allowed eight hits and four runs.

Game Two

By The Numbers:

2 – Allysa Ibarra scored two runs and recorded two hits.

1 – Brenna Foley drove in one run. Ellie Bartlett, Grace Paez, and Lilly Jones each had one hit on the day.

How it Happened:

Webster quickly started things off scoring one run in the top of the first.

Fontbonne responded with Allysa Ibarra scoring on Brenna Foley's ground out, in the bottom of the second.

Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the seventh. Ellie Bartlett reached on a throwing error by the pitcher bringing home Allysa Ibarra to take the win, 2-1.

Kami Matthews took the win in the circle after pitching the complete game. She struck out four while allowing five hits and one run.

Up Next:

The second-seeded Fontbonne University will face first-seeded Spalding tomorrow at 12 p.m. in Peoria, Ill. If the Griffins win the game, they will play Spalding again right after in the "if necessary" game.