Box Score
NAIA Opening Round Schedule/Results
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- Second-seeded Madonna University pounded out five extra-base hits and nine total as the Crusaders defeated the fifth-seeded Bellevue University softball team, 7-1, Wednesday night in an elimination game at the NAIA Opening Round - Sioux Center Bracket being played at Open Space Park.
The Bruins, who went 2-2 in the tournament, ended their season with a 34-22 record.
Madonna (50-4) will battle top-seeded Northwestern (Iowa) College tomorrow in the first championship game at 1 p.m.
After giving up a two-run triple in the bottom of the first to Ashley Rosiewicz, starter Savannah Gunn was quickly replaced by Katie Cunningham. The Crusaders also scored on a sacrifice fly by Mackenzie Ming that drove in Rosiewicz, making it 3-0 after one inning of play.
MU increased the advantage to 4-0 in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly to center field by Faith Peschke that scored Lucy Benin from third.
Alexa Sidel led off the fifth inning with a triple to left field and was driven home on a groundout RBI by Atiana Rodriguez, slicing the margin to 4-1.
Madonna tacked on three runs in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to left field by Ella Thomas, a run-scoring triple to left-center field by Peschke, and an RBI double to right field by Alissa Gauthier, making it 7-1.
Maeson Schlaud improved to 33-3 on the season, allowing just four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in seven complete innings of work.
