Opening Round Champs
7
Winner Simpson (Calif.) SIMP
1
Oregon Institute of Techn OIT
Winner
Simpson (Calif.) SIMP
7
Final
1
Oregon Institute of Techn OIT
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Simpson (Calif.) SIMP 0 3 0 0 0 4 0 7 7 1
Oregon Institute of Techn OIT 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 8 2

W: Avey, Carlye (1) L: SCOTT, Kelly (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Simpson Earns World Series Berth, Knocks Off Oregon Tech

World Series Bracket

REDDING, Calif. - Forced to a decisive game in the Simpson Bracket of the NAIA Softball National Tournament Opening Round, the Simpson Red Hawks earned the program's third NAIA World Series berth Wednesday with a 7-1 win over Oregon Tech in the seventh and final game of the opening round tournament. OIT had defeated the Red Hawks 3-0 earlier in the day to put the season on the line in game two.

And in game two the Red Hawks responded and rode the left arm of pitching ace Carlye Avey (21-0) to the victory and a trip to Sioux City, Iowa. 

The Red Hawk offense pushed across three runs on just one base hit in the top of the second, and that was all the cushion Avey and the Simpson defense would need. Bailey Akins walked to open the inning, followed by a hit batter, Kristin Beckman. Kara Wall's sac bunt set up the offense in good position with one out, and the bases were loaded after Jessica Dager walked. Missy Silveira's RBI infield single gave the Red Hawks the lead, and a throwing error plated a second run for SU on the same play. Dager would score the third run on a wild pitch.

Avey kept the Owls at arm's length throughout the game stranding 11 runners for the game and twice wiggling out of bases loaded jams without surrendering a run. She scattered eight hits with OIT's only run coming on a solo homer in the seventh by McKenzie Shrum.

The Red Hawks added four important insurance runs in the sixth. Dager's solo home run to left-center gave SU a 4-0 lead, and Kaylana Mah singled home a run followed by Courtney Thomas' two-run double.

After that, Simpson cruised to the 7-1 decision and the berth in the World Series as the No. 5 seed. The Red Hawks will open play on Friday, May 27 at 2:00 p.m. (PT) against the No. 4 seed Saint Xavier (Ill.) at the Jensen Softball Complex in Sioux City.

The opening round tournament title is the second for the Red Hawks and the first won on their home field. Simpson won the 2014 bracket at Concordia-Irvine to earn a World Series berth. Simpson also qualified for the World Series in 2011 when all 32 teams advanced to one site. This year's World Series consists of the 10 opening round site champions.
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