Story by Chad Waller, Director of Communications & Sports Information
Pictures courtesy of Rick Dominowski, Click HERE to order

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) Cassie Jones had a strong outing again in striking out 14 in helping No. 2 seed and defending national champion Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) to a 5-1 win over No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) on Monday at the 35th Annual NAIA Softball World Series, presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College. Fresh off her 11 strikeout, one-allowed hit performance in Saturday’s first round win, Jones surrendered just six hits, four of them singles, in a 114-pitch complete-game effort tonight.

Standing 2-0 in the World Series, Auburn Montgomery will tangle with No. 9 Concordia (Ore) Tuesday at 7 p.m. CDT in the winner’s bracket championship. Concordia is a perfect 3-0 in World Series action, already taking down top-seed LSU Alexandria (La.) and No. 5 Central Methodist (Mo.).

Auburn Montgomery got all the offense it needed in the bottom of the first inning. After a fly-out, Katie Spain singled to left and moved over on a stolen base. Jade Sasser, the team’s RBI leader with 48, delivered a run-producing double. The next batter Kayla Hale doubled in Sasser to make the Warhawk lead 2-0 after the first.

Laci Driggers knocked over the fence her third home run of the year – a two-run shot – in the fourth inning to give Auburn Montgomery some insurance runs.

Sasser’s second hit and RBI of the game resulted in a 5-0 Warhawk advantage in the fifth.

In the top of the sixth inning, Lindsey Wilson got on the board. Amanda Trampe singled to center field
to bring home Jenna Firestein. That run snapped a 37-inning scoreless streak by Jones. The last earned run allowed in the circle by the Auburn Montgomery hurler was on May 1 against Bethel (Tenn.).

A two-time All-American, Jones is still riding a stretch of eight-straight games with at least 10 strikeouts. She improved to 33-4 on the year, which leads the NAIA for wins. She walked one batter.

Lindsey Wilson starter Lyndsey Parden was credited with the loss. She went 1 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on four hits. Jordan Hood was effective in relief going 4 ½ innings giving up one run on three hits and striking out six.

Spain and Sasser combined for five of the Warhawks seven hits. Spain scored two runs and Sasser finished with two RBIs.

Lindsey Wilson’s Trampe was the hitting leader with a 2-for-3 effort.

Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video-streaming company of 17 select NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting all 19 games of the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series. The All-World Series package can be purchased for $20. For more information, including how to register for an account, click here.

The double-elimination event is being played out at the Elizabeth & Irving Jensen Softball Complex. The City of Sioux City and Morningside College serve as official hosts for the first time. For more information on the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series, click here.