MARSHALL, Texas - For the first time in program history, Birmingham-Southern College Softball will compete in a national championship final site. The Panthers (31-6) defeated top-seed East Texas Baptist University, 3-1, May 23 to sweep the Marshall Regional and advance to the NCAA Division III Championships, May 27-June 1 at Moyer Park in Salem, Virginia. BSC will be the No. 3 seed at the final site and meet Rochester (N.Y.) on May 27 at 5:30 p.m. CT.
"This is history for us. It's the first time in program history we're going to the World Series, and I couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else," BSC Head Coach
Kimball Cassady said. "These girls have put in a lot of hard work this year. They've done a great job of preparing mentally and physically. Our motto is 'Finish what you start,' and we're ready to go on to the next phase."
Kailey Walters (Trussville, Ala. / Hewitt-Trussville HS) helped spark the Panthers' offense with a leadoff single in the second inning.
Leah Wood (Albertville, Ala. / Albertville HS) later drove a ball down the right field line to bring Walters home and Birmingham-Southern up 1-0.
Saydee Keith (Corner, Ala. / Corner HS) singled in a run and later scored on a wild pitch in the third inning to stretch BSC's lead to 3-0.
While ETBU added a run in the top of the fifth, BSC pitcher
Hailee Bryan (Laurel Hill, Fla. / Paxton HS) retired the next seven batters to seal the win. Nikki Gil, who drove in the Tigers only run, ended the game with a ground ball to third base. Bryan struck out five and did not allow a walk in the five-hit complete-game win.
"I knew I had to spin the ball and hit my spots, and I knew if I did that, my defense would be behind me. I never had a doubt," Bryan said. "As a freshman, it's unreal. It feels like I'm in a dream right now to come in my first year and be this far."
Bryan was named the Region Tournament Most Outstanding Pitcher, while Walters, who had the game-winning hit Friday and went 2-for-3 Sunday, was named the Most Outstanding Player.
Keith also hit 2-for-3 with a run scored Sunday, while Wood and
Annie Clayton (Eufaula, Ala. / Eufaula HS) had the other two hits for BSC.
Birmingham-Southern, ranked No. 5 in the D3 Coaches' Poll, made the NCAA postseason by winning the Southern Athletic Association Tournament in April and has won nine of its last 10 completed games.
Seeds for the double-elimination NCAA D3 Softball Championship are No. 1 DePauw, No. 2 Virginia Weselyan, No. 3 Birmingham-Southern, No. 4 Texas Lutheran, No. 5 Tufts, No. 6 Rochester (N.Y.), No. 7 St. Thomas (Minn.) and No. 8 Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
