Story by Jamie Adams, NAIA
Pictures courtesy of Rick Dominowski, Click HERE to order

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) Cassidy Hoglund singled home Tre Sullivan in the top of the 16th inning to give No. 7 Oregon Tech a 4-3, 16-inning victory over No. 5 Central Methodist (Mo.) on Tuesday at the 35th Annual NAIA Softball World Series, presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College. The 16-innings established a new NAIA Softball World Series record breaking a 30-year mark set back in 1985.

Oregon Tech starting pitcher Rylee Carleton threw 277 pitches in 13 innings of work to record the victory. Carleton was relieved in the sixth inning and re-entered in the bottom of the ninth in the circle. She allowed an unearned run in the fourth inning and she finished with seven strikeouts, nine walks and six hits allowed. She improved to 22-5 on the year.

Oregon Tech advances to play Wednesday at 4 p.m. CDT against the winner of No. 1 LSU Alexandria (La.) / No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) in the elimination round. With a 1-2 World Series record, Central Methodist is eliminated and ends the year with a 44-10 record.

Oregon Tech got on the board first with a RBI-single by Tara Moates in the top of the first. The Owls went up 2-0 with a single run in the fourth inning – thanks to a run-producing single by Karly Leveque. Central Methodist joined the scoring with an unconventional play. Nikki Giovenco advanced when a live ball was thrown into the dugout, leading to an advancement of bases. At that point, Oregon Tech led 2-1.

The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the seventh frame when Michele Rupard scored from second. Central Methodist left one batter on base, which set up the game for extra innings. It looked like the Owls would make it a quick game when they scored in the top of the eighth on a McKenzie Shrum single, but the Eagles answered on a Jessie Wilmes double.

With the score knotted at three, it was a battle of wills for the two teams as they would play the next seven innings in a stalemate.

Sullivan put herself in position to put her team back on top in the top of the 16th inning with some savvy baserunning on a wild pitch. Hoglund, who entered the game in the eighth inning as a pinch runner, answered the call and scored her on a single to right. After walking the first batter in the bottom of the inning, Carlton was able to retire the side to finally complete the game.

Oregon Tech head coach Greg Stewart was complimentary of the Eagles’ effort and included a little bit of humor in his postgame remarks. “First, hats off to Central Methodist on a great game and season. That was hands down the most intense two games I have ever been a part of, I’m so proud of my team to continue to play hard and never quit.”

In the four-hour and 34-minute contest, 594 combined pitches were thrown and 41 runners were left on base. Each team had several chances to score the winning run as there were eight times when a runner was stranded in scoring position after the eighth inning.

No player in the game had more than two hits. Overall, there were 19 combined singles of the 20 overall base raps. Oregon Tech’s Moates, Prock and Hoglunch each had a pair of singles. Wilmes, Lauren Geringer and Giovenco finished with two hits apiece for Central Methodist.

Erin Enke was hit with the tough loss in the circle for the Eagles. She fell to 2-4 overall on the year as she tossed 12 innings, allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and seven walks. She recorded five strikeouts.

In the World Series annals, the old record of 56 team at-bats in a game recorded in 1981 was surpassed by both clubs – Oregon Tech finished with 61 and the Eagles had 59 at-bats. A second record was broken regarding individual at-bats. Two Oregon Tech players and a pair of Central Methodist batters each posted eight at-bats.

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.