2021 NAIA Softball World Series Day One Recap
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Four games were played on day one at the South Commons Sports Complex to kick off the 2021 NAIA Softball World Series.
No. 7 Mount Mercy (Iowa) defeats No. 10 Houston-Victoria (Texas), 2-0
No. 9 Bethany (Kan.) defeats No. 8 Milligan (Tenn.), 2-0
No. 4 College of Idaho defeats No. 5 Ottawa (Kan.), 4-2
No. 6 Madonna (Mich.) defeats No. 3 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 10-6
Day One Highlights
The 2021 NAIA Softball World Series kicked off at 10 AM EST today where the Mustangs of Mount Mercy shut out the Jaugars of Houston-Victoria (Texas) 2-0. It was a bunt from Payton Bruner that gave the Mustangs the momentum in the bottom of the third inning. Jess Heick followed Bruner and came through with a two-run single
That pair of runs would be the only runs of the entire game. In the circle Jayna Witzany struck out ten batters and walked only two, earning her sixth victory of postseason play.
Houston-Victoria was equally as impressive on mound minus the one hiccup in bottom of the third. Cameron Cowan allowed just two runs on five hits with no walks. Cowan struck out six batters in six innings.
In the second game of the day Bethany (Kan.) continues their run of upsetting opponents in posteason play.
Ciera Flores for the Swedes hit the first home run of the series in top of the first to score the only two runs of the game Offensively, hits were hard to come by for both teams, collecting five total the entire game.
Leftfielder, Millenni Lucero had the only other hit for Bethany. Milleni played well on both sides, adding two diving catches on foul balls.
College of Idaho won their World Series opener 4-2 over Ottawa (Kan.) Katelyn Wilfert picked up her 18th win of the season in the circle, she produced five straight scoreless innings to begin the game and finished with nine strikeouts.
Kally Christensen was the spark for College of Idaho scoring on Thursday. She hit a base hit to left to start the second whcih she then went on to score off of. Christensen was the fuel again in the fourth inning. She was hit by a pitch allowing her to get on base. Lacie Miller then hit up the middle setting up back to back one run singles from Hattie Hruza and Micha Fortune.
Madison Bunfill of Ottawa (Kan.) hit the second homerun of the world series to get Braves on the scoreboard 4-2
In the final game of the night No. 5 Madonna upset No. 3 Olivet Nazarene, 10-6
Both teams returned to the NAIA Softball World Series for the first time since 2012
The Crusaders started out the game strong with a powerful top of the second inning. They had 12 batters resulting in eight hits and seven earned runs.
That would be the only runs scored until the bottom of the fifth when Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) gained momentum hitting a base clearing single to put two runs on the board for the Tigers heading into the sixth
Both teams scored again in the seventh inning Madonna (Mich.) added three more runs and Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) scored four.
Of seven runs total in that inning, only two were earned.
Day two of action begins tomorrow at 10 AM EST with Ottawa (Kan.) vs. Milligan (Tenn.)
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