Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Grinnell College Athletics

Grinnell College logo - go to site
Champs
4
Illinois Col. ILLINOIS 25-16-1
5
Winner Grinnell GRINNELL 29-12
Illinois Col. ILLINOIS
25-16-1
4
Final
5
Grinnell GRINNELL
29-12
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Illinois Col. ILLINOIS 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 4 8 3
Grinnell GRINNELL 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 1 5 8 2

W: Hartman, Christin (15-6) L: J. Drake (13-3)

Game Recap: Softball | | Ted Schultz

Well worth the wait ... Grinnell softball team ends long day with first-ever MWC Tourney title and trip to NCAA Regional



JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - It was a long day for the Grinnell College softball team, but the wait was well worth it!

More than nine hours after its scheduled start against Illinois College in the Midwest Conference Tournament championship game Saturday, the Pioneers scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the first league tourney crown - and first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament - in the program's 46-year history.

Grinnell, which continued to boost its season-record win total by improving to 29-12, will learn where it travels for NCAA D-III Regional action via a selection show at noon Central time Monday.

Saturday's contest was dramatic throughout, ending with Mary Webb's '23 two-out RBI single to right field that plated Amanda Ramirez '23, sending the Pioneers into celebration.

The contest got through a scoreless inning-and-a-half early Saturday afternoon when the rains fell. After a lengthy delay, the contest was moved from Illinois College's diamond to a turf field at Future Champions Sports Complex.

The 25-16-1 Lady Blues opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third, but the Pioneers promptly responded with three in the bottom of the inning. Ramirez and Kambria Anson '24 both reached base on errors before Samantha Chu '24, the MWC Position Player of the Year, knocked a two-run triple to left. Chu later scored when Taylor Durak '24 reached base on an error.

Illinois College retook the lead in the fourth with three runs, but Grinnell tied it in the fifth when Webb hit an infield single, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Alexa Okada's '24 double to left.

Each team threatened in innings to follow, but Grinnell finally burst through in the eighth. After Sofia DiCarlo '25 led off with a walk, Ramirez reached base on a fielder's choice and went to second on Anson's groundout. Chu and Durak each walked to load the bases before Webb delivered the game-winning hit to right field off MWC Pitcher of the Year Julia Drake.

Christin Hartman '24 earned the pitching victory in relief, giving up five hits and striking out four over the final five innings of the game.

Each team managed eight hits in the game, with Anson, Webb and Okada getting two each for the Pioneers.

The tourney title is a culmination of recent Pioneer softball success. While the program had a .303 winning percentage over 46 years entering 2023, the Pioneers have tallied a 101-74 record over their last five seasons.

 
Print Friendly Version