COLUMBUS, Ga. – [BRACKET | SCHEDULE] Science & Arts (Okla.) played 20 grueling innings on Tuesday evening after a lightning delay, but came just one run shy of the championship round. After a win over Southeastern (Fla.), Mobile (Ala.) got a 10^th inning run off the bat of Eila Infante to advance to the championship round on Wednesday evening. In the process, Drovers’ senior hurler Emily Cerny set a new NAIA all-time record for career strikeouts.

GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS

No. 5 Science & Arts (Okla.) def. No. 7 Southeastern (Fla.), 2-1 (10in)

• Southeastern (Fla.) broke a 0-0 deadlock in the top of the fourth. Haleigh Harrell homered to left field, her eighth of the season, to give the Fire a 1-0 lead.
• Harrell’s fourth-inning shot over the wall in left was her second of the 2022 World Series. The junior became the first of the 2022 Spring Classic to homer twice.
• The Drovers tied it in the bottom of the fifth. Amanda Moreno laid down a push bunt single to score Macenzie Ruth and evened the score at one apiece.
• In the seventh, Emily Cerny tied the NAIA All-Time Career Strikeout record with her 1,411^th. It was her fifth of the game.
• Each defense stood on its head for the remainder of the contest until Shyla Clouse walked it off in the bottom of the 10^th. The hit through the right side was just the second in the 2022 World Series for the junior.
• Home teams are now 12-4 in the 2022 Spring Classic. Only two of those came in the elimination bracket.
• Claire Sekinger had an equally impressive outing. The freshman tossed 152 pitches and seven strikeouts in her 9.2 inning outing.

No. 1 Mobile (Ala.) def. No. 5 Science & Arts (Okla.), 4-3 (10in)

• The Drovers’ offense showed early pop in the bottom of the first. Jaclyn Gray tagged a 1-1 pitch and deposited it just off the outstretched glove of Kristen Black to give her team an early 2-0 lead.
• Gray’s home run was her fifth of the season and just her third hit of the 2022 World Series.
• Mobile (Ala.) responded in the top of the second. Courtney Ellzey scored on a wild pitch to cut the Rams’ deficit in half, 2-1.
• Sophie Williams plated what proved to be a pivotal insurance run for the Drovers. The freshman doubled to right center to score Sierra Selfridge to give their team a 3-1 lead.
• Mobile came all the way back in the top of the third. Jaden Morace hit an RBI single up the middle to score Kristen Black to come within one.
• Moments later, Caitlin McRee reached on an infield error, which allowed Morace to cross the plate and tie the game at three.
• Also in the top of the third, history was made thanks to Emily Cerny. The senior set the NAIA all-time career strikeout record with her first of two strikeouts of the inning. She finished her career with 1,414.
• Tuesday night’s extra innings game was the second of the night and the second of the 2022 World Series.
• The game went scoreless for the next six innings after six runs in the first three.
• Eila Infante singled-home the game winner in the top of the 10^th to win it for Mobile.
• Emily Cerny finished with 228 pitches on the day over the course of two games.
• Mobile (Ala.) will go for its second NAIA Softball World Series Red Banner. The Rams last won it in 2006 in Decatur, Ala., in a 4-1 victory over former member, California Baptist. The Rams have finished as runners-up twice in both 2003 and 2008.

COVERAGE

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