Spalding Wins First SLIAC Softball Title

A season that saw split doubleheaders among many of the top teams in the league, came down to another split on the final day of the 2023 SLIAC Tournament as well. However, thanks to the advantage of coming through the winner's bracket it was Spalding University that took home the title. Spalding won its first two games of the tournament in walk-off fashion to claim the winner's bracket spot in the championship round. After dropping its tournament-opening game, Fontbonne had two walk-offs of their own to put them in their second straight championship game with a chance to defend last year's title. The Griffins forced a winner-take-all game after defeating Spalding 10-0 in the first game of the championship Saturday, the first such situation since 2016 for the conference tournament. 

The Griffins carried the momentum into the 1st inning of the if necessary game, plating a run in the opening frame of the championship game. Lilly Jones started the game with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Allysa Ibarra drove her in but the Griffins couldn't push any more across, leaving two runners stranded. 

Spalding once again showed its resiliency, promptly answering back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. A walk set up Jessica Tucker for an RBI double and two batters later Hayleigh Gnagie singled in Tucker for a 2-1 Spalding lead. The Golden Eagles broke out in the 2nd inning, scoring 5 runs on 4 hits. Karlee Terral singled to start the inning and was immediately plated on a Brooklynn Nolot triple. Dawn Wilson followed with an RBI single and after a walk, Tucker laid down a squeeze play that plated another run. Bella Velez busted the game wide open with a two-run home run that gave the Golden Eagles a 7-1 lead.  

Spalding head coach Art Williams used some strategy to pick up a run over each of the next two innings. In the 4th he called for a double steal with Wilson sliding in at home for her team's 8th run. Another stolen base in the 5th, this one from Kaleigh Franklin-Brooks, put the game-ending run in scoring position. Nolot doubled that run in for a walk-off run rule game by the Golden Eagles. 

Michaela Ferman recorded her 14th win of the season, going 5 innings and allowing just 4 hits while striking out two. Spalding finished with 7 hits in the game with Nolot the only Golden Eagle with multiple hits. The five-inning championship game was the first run-rule game in the championship since 2013 and only the second in the history of the tournament. The tournament title is the first in program history for Spalding.

Ferman was named Tournament MVP and was joined on the All-Tournament team by her teammates Madison Loechle and Brooklynn Nolot. Also earning All-Tournament selections were Fontbonne's Ashley Carrow and Allyssa Ibarra, Eureka's Gada Bryant, Greenville's Sarah Salas, Webster's Paige Thomas, and Westminster's Emily Esquivel. 

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