COLUMBIA, Ky. - Indiana Wesleyan Softball faced off with No. 10 Lindsey Wilson University on Tuesday afternoon in the NAIA Opening Round with a shot of going to the Columbia Region Championship Game on the line. The Wildcats found their stride early and put the hammer down late, scoring 5 runs in both the 2nd and 7th innings. IWU gained its second Top 25 in as many days as they beat the Blue Raiders 11-3 and clinched a spot in the title game. Their opponent will be determined in the first game of the day as Lindsey Wilson will play Johnson (Tenn) and the winner will face the Wildcats.
The Blue Raiders gave IWU some early trouble with the bases loaded in the 1st inning, but
Avery Toole was able to work out of it without allowing a run. In the 2nd inning, IWU put together quality at-bat after at-bat loading the bases and scoring first on a
Sara Ruble walk.
Courtney Thomas brought home 2 more runs with a single into right field and
Morgan Yeater continued her great postseason with a double that scored both Ruble and Thomas. Neither team was able to score in the next two innings and Toole was pitching lights out with consecutive 1-2-3 innings from the 2nd to 5th innings. The Wildcats added to their lead in the 5th with a
Brylee Bilger single that allowed Yeater to score from second base which made the lead 6-0. Lindsey Wilson scored their 3 runs in the bottom of the 6th to make it 6-3 going into the 7th frame. In the 7th, Indiana Wesleyan copied their 2nd inning by loading the bases then scoring on a
Leah May single then a
Madisyn Tharpe walk then two consecutive SAC fly's by
Sara Ruble and
Danica Fuller.
Courtney Thomas collected her third RBI with a single that scored Tharpe and gave IWU the 11-3 advantage that would end up being the final score after
Isabelle Beidelschies pitched the bottom of the 7th and closed the door.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: Columbia, Kentucky / Marilyn D. Sparks Park
- Records: IWU 39-13 (30-6) | LWU 42-7 (14-4)
- Game Score: IWU def. LWU 11-3
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- Freshman Avery Toole started in the circle for IWU, going 6 innings and recorded 14 straight outs from the last out of the 1st inning to the first out of the 6th.
- With the bases loaded in the 2nd, Sara Ruble walked in a run to get the scoring started. Courtney Thomas singled with the bases still loaded to score two more followed by a Morgan Yeater double that scored an additional pair of runs.
- After scoreless 3rd and 4th innings, Brylee Bilger recorded an RBI with a single that scored Morgan Yeater in the 5th.
- Lindsey Wilson scored 3 runs in the 6th to cut the lead in half, 6-3.
- IWU re-extended the lead and then some by putting up 5 runs in the top of the 7th. Leah May singled with the bases loaded to score Maddie Seitz to get it going. Madisyn Tharpe walked in a run in the next at-bat to make it 8-3. Two straight sacrifice fly's by Sara Ruble and Danica Fuller got Whitney Waddell and Leah May across home plate before Courtney Thomas added the final tally with a single to score Tharpe.
- Isabelle Beidelschies entered in the 7th to pitch for IWU and closed the door on Lindsey Wilson.
KEY WILDCATS
THOMAS PERSPECTIVE
- "This team has radiated the most joy these past two days that is impossible to not have fun and ball out with them," said senior Courtney Thomas. "I am excited for another day of softball with these girls tomorrow!"
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Tuesday, March 12, 2026
- Game 4: Tennessee Southern def. Missouri Baptist 8-3
- Game 5: Indiana Wesleyan def. Lindsey Wilson 11-3
- Game 6: Johnson (Tenn) def. Tennessee Southern 8-6
Wednesday, March 13, 2026
- Game 7 - Lindsey Wilson vs. Johnson (Tenn.) - 12:00 p.m. CT / 1:00 p.m. ET
- Game 8 - Indiana Wesleyan vs. Game 7 Winner - 2:30 p.m. CT / 3:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, March 14, 2026
- Game 9 - Game 8 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser (If Necessary) // 12:00 p.m. CT / 1:00 p.m. ET
NEXT TIME OUT
- IWU will play the winner of the Johnson (Tenn.) vs Lindsey Wilson matchup tomorrow morning.
FOLLOW THE WILDCATS
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