COLUMBUS, Ga. – [BRACKET | SCHEDULE] All higher seeds earned narrow victories as day one came to a close in the 2023 NAIA Softball World Series. Marian (Ind.) earned the first win of the day while Central Methodist (Mo.) survived a conference clash in extra innings in walkoff fashion. Southern Oregon earned the distinction of the largest margin of victory while Cumberlands (Ky.) battled back from an early, one-run deficit to take the lead and preserve it.

GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS

No. 7 Marian (Ind.) def. No. 10 Midland (Neb.), 2-0

• Midland nearly recorded the first hit of the game in the first at-bat, but Anna Pritchett robbed the Warriors on a diving play in center field to record the first out of the 2023 series.
• Marian posted the first run of the game in the bottom of the third. Pritchett started things with a two-out base hit to center and advanced to third on a single through the right side by Abby Madere before a double steal to grab the lead.
• Marian built on its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Sierra Norman hit a solo homerun, the first of the World Series, to give her squad a 2-0 lead.
• Sydney Wilson went the distance in the circle for the Knights. The hurler struck-out four and walked a pair in the win.
• Aliyah Rincon took the loss for the Warriors, but recorded eight strikeouts in six innings of work.

No. 8 Central Methodist (Mo.) def. No. 9 Baker (Kan.), 2-0 (8in)

• Just four hits were recorded heading into extra innings, and five hits overall.
• Central Methodist’s Jordyn Ball held Baker’s lineup to just one hit through eight innings to preserve the victory.
• Ball recorded 11 strikeouts in the game.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Madison White’s two-run walkoff homerun secured the victory for the Eagles. It was White’s sixth big fly of the season.
• Kira Baker took the loss, but was outstanding in her performance. The freshman allowed four hits and recorded six strikeouts in seven and two-thirds innings.

No. 4 Southern Oregon def. No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett, 5-1

• Southern Oregon plated five in the third inning, capped-off with a Cayla Williams grand slam, and snagged a 5-1 win.
• The home run was Williams’ sixth of the season.
• Williams, the pitcher of record for the Raiders, went the distance in the circle and allowed just one run on two hits with five strikeouts to her credit.
• The big third inning began as the Grizzlies loaded the bases and allowed a walk to Riley Donovan score the first run.
• Georgia Gwinnett’s Sydney Pelaez plated the lone run for the Grizzlies. The senior hit her seventh homer of the season to put her team on the board.
• Annalise Wood suffered the loss, but was simply impressive outside of the third inning. The sophomore allowed just four hits and suffered only her third loss of the season.

No. 3 Cumberlands (Ky.) def. No. 6 Science & Arts (Okla.), 2-1

• Taygan Graham put the Drovers on the board in the top of the first with an RBI double to right field to give her team the early 1-0 lead.
• Morgan Radford set the stage in the bottom of the third for Cumberlands with a double to kick-start the Patriots’ offense.
• Carly Oliver followed with an RBI double to left center to tie the game at one.
• Makenzie Keatts put the Patriots on top for good with a single to left center, which scored Oliver.
• Both Keats and Oliver, combined with Radford, finished with a pair of hits.
• Talli Burgess moved her record to a perfect 20-0 on the year with the win for Cumberlands. The junior allowed one run on three hits with zero walks.
• Sophie Williams was on the downside of the decision. The sophomore struck-out three in her six innings of action.

COVERAGE

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