WINONA LAKE, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University defeated host Grace (Ind.) College 10-7 in nine innings to win the NCCAA Midwest Regional Championship and earn an automatic bid to the NCCAA National Championship.

Grace (19-29, 9-9 CL) won the first game today 13-11 to give Indiana Wesleyan its first loss in the double elimination tournament. With both teams having lost once, the second game between the two schools was for the automatic bid. The doubleheader also constituted as the two team’s Crossroads League games that were rained out earlier in the season.

The Wildcats (28-14, 9-7 CL) will play in the NCCAA National Championship on May 9-11 in Botetourt County, Virginia. Bluefield (Va.) College is the host school.

The first of the two games on Saturday was a slugfest. Indiana Wesleyan outhit Grace 14-13 but four errors led to seven unearned runs for Indiana Wesleyan.

Grace took advantage of the errors early with eight runs in the first inning. The Lancers added four more in the third to gain what seemed like an insurmountable lead of 12-1. But over the next two innings Indiana Wesleyan scored seven times to close within four runs at 12-8.

The Lancers added another run in the bottom of the sixth to lead 13-8 heading into the final inning. The Wildcats scored three runs but were still two runs shy in a 13-11 defeat.

Gabby McIntire lasted 2.2 innings as she allowed 12 runs -- with only five of those being earned -- on nine hits and four walks. Jessica Hull finished the game in 3.1 innings of relief. She gave up just one run on four hits.

Six Wildcats completed multi-hit efforts in the loss. Bryttany Van Vliet continues to tear the cover off the ball as she was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBI, and two runs scored. Katie Smith, Hull, Marissa French, Gabby Bogear, and Lauren Benda all added two hits with Benda and Smith each ripping a double.

In game two, Grace scored twice in the first and held a 2-1 lead as the game moved to the fifth inning. That is when Indiana Wesleyan scored five times to claim a 6-2 advantage. But Grace scored twice in the bottom of the fifth and three more times in the sixth to retake a 7-6 lead. IWU tied the game with a single run in the seventh and won the contest with a 3-run ninth inning.

French was 4-for-5 with a double, one RBI, and one run scored. Hull was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI while Sam Hemming also crushed a home run. Hemming was 2-for-2 at the plate with three walks and four runs scored. Michelle McGary was the fourth Wildcat to have more than one hit as she was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

Tanna Hinthorne pitched a complete game for Indiana Wesleyan. She allowed five earned runs on 13 hits and one walk. Hinthorne struck out eight Lancers in 9.0 innings.

Indiana Wesleyan will complete the regular season on Monday. IWU hosts Huntington (Ind.) University at Wildcat Field with a 5 p.m. start time. Indiana Wesleyan will hold Senior Day following the games.