SYLVANIA, Mich. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University softball team earned a trip to the final day of the WHAC Tournament after going 3-0 in elimination games on Friday, May 4. They will face second-seed Aquinas (Mich.) College in their fourth elimination game of the tournament. The game is set for 12 p.m. on Monday, May 7 at Pacesetter Park in Sylvania, Ohio. The winner of that game moves on to face UNOH in the championship game at 2:30 p.m.

Lawrence Tech (21-17) opened the day with a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in 13 innings to Northwestern Ohio, but came back to earn wins over top-seed Madonna (Mich.) University 7-6, Indiana Tech 8-1, and University of Michigan - Dearborn 3-2 in the consolation bracket. UNOH earned a trip to the championship game with a 3-0 record. The Blue Devils are now 3-1 in their second trip to the WHAC tournament, which is a program best.

In the final game of the day, Lawrence Tech jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a Brittney Bult (SO/Brampton, Ontario) RBI single to score Katie Cyster (FR/Wyandotte, Mich.). Cyster made it 2-0 in the third inning after an RBI single that scored Cherilyn Banas (JR/Oxford, Mich.).

Sydney Schultz (SO/Commerce Twp, Mich.) started the game in the circle and breezed through the first two innings, but got into a bases loaded jam in the third. Schultz got the first batter out, but two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases. Brittany Wieland (FR/Alexandria, Va.) made a stellar play at short, snagging the line drive for the second out of the innings. The Wolverines homerun hitter was up next, but a groundout to Wieland ended the inning with a two-run lead intact.

The Blue Devils added a run in the fourth inning as Jackie Mattingly (SO/Chino Hills, Calif.) singled in Alex Amos (SO/Corona, Calif.) for a 3-0 lead. The Wolverines put more pressure on Lawrence Tech in the bottom of the fourth as they got a leadoff single followed by a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Sydney Coe (FR/Napoleon, Mich.) came in for Schutlz and got the next batter to strikeout, but a sacrifice fly scored a run to cut the lead to 3-1. Coe ended the inning with a groundout to the circle.

The Blue Devils had chances to add some runs in the top of the fifth as they loaded the bases with two outs after Andra Malburg (FR/Maineville, Ohio) walked, but a pop out ended the threat. Coe got through the bottom of the fifth, but trouble brewed in the sixth as she gave up a leadoff double. She struck out the next batter, however a double to left scored Markus to put the Wolverines within one at 3-2. Coe got the next batter, but Alexa Cherney (SO/Farmington Hills, Mich. ) came in to get the final two outs and keep their one-run lead. Lawrence Tech sealed the win in the bottom of the seventh as Cherney put the side down in order including a pair of strikeouts to send the Blue Devils into the final day of the tournament.

Cyster went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Amos, Mattingly, and Banas each went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Schultz earns the win, going three innings, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Coe went 2.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts. Cherney earned the save, going 1.1 innings with two strikeouts.

HOW THEY GOT THERE

The Blue Devils and University of Northwestern Ohio opened the tournament on Wednesday, May 2 but were suspended due to lighting in the top of the ninth, tied 1-1. When the game resumed on Friday, it took five innings for Northwestern Ohio to hit a walk-off homerun to win the game 2-1 in 13 innings.

Following the loss, the Blue Devils faced top-seed Madonna (Mich.) University in the consolation bracket. Lawrence Tech trailed the Crusaders 2-1 after the third inning as Brittney Bult's sacrifice bunt scored Cherilyn Banas to cut the lead to one. Madonna added a pair of runs in the fifth and the sixth inning to take a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Lawrence Tech was down to their last six outs when they began their comeback. Bailey Brown (SO/Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) opened the inning with a leadoff single followed by a strikeout by Madonna. Brown stole second base and reached third on a Jackie Mattingly single to put runners on first and third with one out. Banas' RBI single scored Brown to cut the lead to 6-2. Katie Cyster reached on an error scoring Mattingly to make it 6-3. Meredith Adams (SO/Portage, Mich. ) made it 6-5 with a two-out double scoring Cyster and Brittany Wieland. Andra Malburg tied the game at 6-6 with a RBI single up the middle.

Sydney Coe came in to pitch after a leadoff walk and got the next two batters ground out with a great play at the plate by Alex Amos to get the third out of the inning and keep the game tied at 6-6. In the bottom of the seventh, the Blue Devils got a lead off single from Katie Kubiak (SO/Burlington, Wisc.). The Crusaders got the next two outs, but Wieland walked to give Cyster a chance to win the game with runners on first and second. Cyster answered with a walk-off single to score pinch-runner Nicole Schwerin (FR/West Bloomfield, Mich.) to stay alive in the consolation bracket with a 7-6 win.

In their second elimination game of the day, Lawrence Tech defeated Indiana Tech 8-1 as they jumped on the Warriors early with three runs in the first inning. Adams opened the scoring with an RBI groundout to score Wieland and give LTU a 1-0 lead. Bult doubled to centerfield to score Cyster and push the lead to 2-0. Genna Skalski (SO/Brighton, Mich.) followed with an RBI single to score Bult and give Lawrence Tech a 3-0 lead after the first inning.

Alexa Cherney started in the circle and breezed through the first five innings as Lawrence Tech added five runs in the top of the sixth. The Warriors got the leadoff out, but Skalski followed with a triple to right-center. Mattingly reached on a fielder's choice scoring Skalski to give LTU a 4-0 lead. Banas reached on an error and Amos scored to make it 5-0. Mattingly made it 6-0 following a throwing error by the catcher trying to get Banas, who stole second base. Banas scored on another throwing error by the catcher to make it 7-0. Bult added an eighth run with an RBI single to left.

Indiana Tech answered with one run in the bottom of the sixth, but Cherney was able to get through the final inning with no runs to earn the win. She finished with one run on two hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and four walks.

UP NEXT

Lawrence Tech vs. Aquinas at 12 p.m. | Pacesetter Park | Sylvania, Ohio