Griffins, Golden Eagles Pick Up Wins

The semifinal round of the 2022 SLIAC Softball Tournament saw Fontbonne University and Spalding University pick up wins to advance in the winner's bracket. With rain falling the games were moved indoors at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex facility in Peoria, Illinois. Fontbonne and Spalding will face each other at 2:30 p.m. on Friday with the winner getting the conference's first spot into the championship game on Saturday. Greenville University and Webster University will meet in Friday's first game at 12 p.m. looking to keep their postseason alive.

#1 Fontbonne def. #2 Greenville 9-3
Fontbonne University opened up the day with a 9-3 win over Greenville University to advance to the winner's bracket game on Friday. Greenville struck first in the game, taking advantage of a first-pitch triple by Madi Case. She would score two batters later when Jaclyn Belzer hit a pop-up to shallow left-field, just deep enough for Case to beat the throw to the plate and under the tag of the catcher. 

The Griffins quickly responded, drawing back-to-back walks in the bottom half of the 1st inning. Grace Morris then ripped a double to center, plating Lilly Jones. Lexi Becker tacked on a second run in the inning when she singled, giving the Griffins the lead; one they would not give back. Grace Harlin followed with a single of her own. The Griffins would load the bases but leave them stranded. 

Hannah Miener made it 4-1 with a two-run single in the 2nd inning, scoring Jones and Ibarra. The Griffins threatened to open the game further but once again left the bases loaded. The 3rd inning was the only scoreless inning of the game. 

Greenville's Mia Boyd cut the lead down with a one-out solo home run to center field that made the score 4-2 but the Griffins once again responded with their at-bat. Harlin started a two-out rally for the Griffins with a walk and moved to second on a single by Grace Paez. Harlin would come in to score on an error, putting the score at 5-2. The Griffins broke the game open in the 5th inning when Morris went deep for a two-run shot. Becker would score later in the inning on an RBI groundout by Bartlett. 

Greenville plated a run in the top of the 6th when Taylor Weiss doubled in Boye but for the third time in the game, the Griffins responded in the bottom half of the inning. Miener doubled down the line to put the Griffins up 9-3. Griffins pitcher Hailey Kutz sat the Panthers down in order in the 7th, finishing the game with six strikeouts in the win. Hannah Miener led the Griffins at the plate with three hits. 

#1 Spalding def. #2 Webster 10-9
The nightcap of the semifinals round was an exciting one with #1 East Division seed Spalding University plating four runs in the bottom of the 7th inning for a 10-9 come from behind walk-off win. It was defending tournament champion Webster University that got on the board first. Katie Croxall led the game off with a single and would be joined on the base paths by Sidney Holtz after an error. The Gorloks used some small ball, picking up an RBI ground out to open the scoring. Jaelin Holdaway followed with a single to right to put the Gorloks up 2-0. 

Spalding answered back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from Bella Velez that plated Rylee Phillips. The Gorloks broke out for four runs in the 3rd inning with Paige Thomas and Sheyla Iniguez both driving in two. Spalding put up three runs in the bottom half, taking advantage of three Gorlok errors in the inning. 

Webster made it an 8-4 game when they had two runners take home on passed balls. They pushed the lead to 9-4 in the 5th when Arianna Aria ripped an RBI single to left-center. Spalding got back into the game when Velez and Madison Loechle each singled home runners in the bottom of the 5th to make the score 9-6. The 6th inning would be scoreless for both teams, putting the Gorloks three outs away from advancing to the winner's bracket.

Grayce Marcum started the bottom of the 7th with a single and promptly stole second base. Jessica Tucker followed with a single of her own and Velez drove in her fourth run of the game with an RBI single. An infield single by Loechle loaded the bases and two batters later Kori Calvert brought in a run with a single to make the score 9-8. A Maranda Thomas single brought in the tying run and the game was one out away from going to extra innings. That was when Dawn Wilson hit a squibber back to the pitcher. With the pitcher unable to get the speedy Wilson at first the only play was at home, where the throw was too late as Kailey Reed slid in safely for the Golden Eagles walk-off win. 

Erica McCann picked up the win for Spalding with Velez going 4-for-4 with 4 RBI as the Golden Eagles pounded out 17 hits in the game. 

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