GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Indiana Wesleyan University nearly became the first No. 4-seed to advance out of the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. But Indiana Wesleyan was defeated 9-0 by No. 1-seed Southeastern (Fla.) in the final game of the Davenport Bracket. The first time in program history that Indiana Wesleyan reached the final game of an opening round bracket.

Game Vitals

• Tournament:  NAIA National Championship Opening Round
• Score:  Indiana Wesleyan - 0   |   Southeastern - 9
• Records:  Indiana Wesleyan 44-18   |   Southeastern 42-14
• NAIA Top- 25 Rank:  Indiana Wesleyan - Receiving votes   |   Southeastern - No. 10 (tied)
• Location:   Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex   |   Davenport University   |   Grand Rapids, Michigan

What Went Down

• Indiana Wesleyan starter Haley Nixon (SO/Bristol, Ind.) and Southeastern starter Lindsie Scholwinski did not all a run through 3.0 innings.
• Cat Maldanado hit a two run double down the left field line as Southeastern grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the 4th inning.
• Southeastern blew the game open in the 5th with a five run inning. Cat Maldanado wreaked more havoc on Indiana Wesleyan as she had the big hit with a 3-run home run. SEU took a 7-0 lead.
• Haley Nixon suffered the loss as she allowed two runs on four hits in 4.0 innings. She walked one and struck out two. Kaisey Carson (JR/Avon, IN), Carlie Weaver (SO/Brownsburg, Ind.), and Janessa Guevara (SR/Lathrop, Calif.) each pitched 1.0 inning of relief.
• Cat Maldanado struck again in the 7th inning with a two-run double to push the score to 9-0.
• Kaisey Carson, Sara Kreitzer (JR/Ashland, Ohio), and Haley Nixon accounted for the three Indiana Wesleyan hits. Carson and Kreitzer each drew a walk as they reached base two times.
  
   

Next Time Out

• Indiana Wesleyan ends the season with a 44-18 record. The 44 wins is the third best in program history. Indiana Wesleyan made its third appearence in the NAIA National Championship Tournament.