COLUMBUS, Ga. - No. 23 Indiana Wesleyan Softball resumed its suspended game with Our Lady of the Lake on Wednesday morning in the 2026 NAIA World Series. The two teams started in the bottom of the 4th inning with one out on the board. The Wildcats battled but ended up falling in extra innings, 2-1. With the loss, the Wildcats finished as the fourth place team in the World Series after coming in as the 8th seed. This marks the most successful postseason run for IWU Softball in program history as they entered the tournament with 3 total World Series wins in four other appearances and doubled that total with 3 wins in this year's tournament alone.
The first three innings were a draw as neither team could get much going offensively before After a rain and lightning delay suspended the game in the bottom of the fourth, the two teams reconvened a day later to finish the final innings. The break proved beneficial for the Wildcat offense as they scored the games first run in the top of the 5th inning.
Courtney Thomas started the inning with her 200th career hit, a double down the left field line. With two outs,
Brylee Bilger came up with a double to score Thomas and give IWU the 1-0 lead. The score remained the same as freshman phenom
Avery Toole continued her impressive tournament performance until the bottom of the 7th when OLLU tied it at 1. Going into extra innings for the third time in five games, IWU could not find its offensive stride but battled to extend the game. The Saints would eventually walk it off in the bottom of the 10th to finish the Wildcats' underdog run.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: Columbus, Georgia / South Commons Complex
- Records: IWU 43-15 (30-6) | OLLU 47-12 (22-5)
- Game Score: OLLU def. IWU 2-1
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- The first three and a half innings were completed yesterday, May 26th before lightning and rain forced the game to be moved to the 27th.
- After play resumed, Avery Toole continued where she left off, putting zeros on the scoreboard for OLLU's half innings.
- Courtney Thomas hit her 200th career hit in the top of the 5th inning, a lead-off double. Brylee Bilger brought her home later in the inning with a double of her own to give the 1-0 advantage to IWU.
- Bilger joined Thomas in hitting a career milestone as she drew her 100th career walk in the 7th inning.
- OLLU tied the game in the 7th to force extra innings, the third time the Wildcats had to go past 7 innings this tournament.
- After two more scoreless innings, Our Lady of the Lake captured the win with a walk-off bunt.
KEY WILDCATS
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 21, 2026
- Game 1: No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan def. No. 9 Marian, 4-3 (8 Innings)
- Game 2: No. 4 Mobile def. No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake, 9-1
- Game 3: No. 3 Southern Oregon def. No. 6 Cumberlands (Ky.), 4-2
- Game 4: No. 7 College of Idaho def. No. 10 British Columbia, 4-3
Friday, May 22, 2026
- Game 5: No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake def. No. 9 Marian, 10-2
Saturday, May 23, 2026
- Game 6: No. 10 British Columbia def. No. 6 Cumberlands (Ky.), 2-1
- Game 7: No. 1 Madonna def. No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan, 6-3
- Game 8: No. 2 Southeastern def. No. 7 College of Idaho, 3-1
Sunday, May 24, 2026
- Game 9: No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan def. No. 10 British Columbia, 1-0
Monday, May 25, 2026
- Game 10: No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake def. No. 7 College of Idaho, 6-0
- Game 11: No. 2 Southeastern def. No. 3 Southern Oregon, 5-2
- Game 12: No. 1 Madonna def. No. 4 Mobile, 5-2
- Game 13: No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan def. No. 3 Southern Oregon, 3-1
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
- Game 14: No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake def. No. 4 Mobile, 1-0
- Game 15: No. 1 Madonna def. No. 2 Southeastern, 8-2
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
- Game 16: No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake def. No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan, 2-1
- Game 17: No. 2 Southeastern vs. No. 5 Our Lady of the Lake - 12:00 PM
- Game 18: No. 1 Madonna vs. Game 17 Winner - 2:00 PM
Thursday, May 28, 2026
- Game 19: Game 18 Winner vs. Game 18 Loser - IF Necessary
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