TYLER, TX – Heading into the NCAA Division III Softball Championships here, the University of Rochester has won seven straight elimination games. If the Yellowjackets are going to move forward in the field, they will have to continue that streak.

Morgan Krisch singled home Sammie Seamon from third base with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater an 8-7 victory over Rochester in the NCAA Division III Softball Championships on Thursday.

The Yellowjackets will play at 11 am Friday against 13th-ranked St. Thomas (MN). The Tommies lost, 1-0, to fourth-ranked Salisbury University in the second game on Thursday. Whitewater improved to 38-11 with the victory. Rochester is 32-13. Whitewater is ranked 20th in the last regular season NFCA Division III poll.

Rochester wound up winning the Liberty League title by sweeping four straight games in the tournament after losing the opener to Union, 6-4. In the regionals, Rochester defeated Marywood, then lost to Alfred University. Rochester had to win an elimination game vs. Messiah College, then swept Alfred the next day to advance to the Super Regionals.

Whitewater rallied from a 6-1 deficit in the bottom of the fifth. The Warhawks scored six runs on four hits, two walks, one error and one wild pitch. That put UWW in front, 7-6.

Rochester immediately tied the score in the sixth. Meg Hennessy singled and Nina Korn walked. Eleni Wechsler was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. The first pitch to Lauren Muni was low and went to the backstop as Hennessy came home with the tying run. UWW's Kelynn Sporer settled down after that, retiring six in a row – three to end the sixth and three more in the seventh.

"I was happy with the way we came out," said Rochester coach Margaret Yerdon-Grange. Rochester scored three in the second and three more in the fourth to build that 6-1 advantage. 

"We stranded a lot of runners though (nine LOB)," Yerdon-Grange said, "and in a tight game…".

Alyssa Murillo and Tayler Fravel had three hits apiece. Fravel drove in three runs – two with a second-inning single – and Wechsler had a two-run single in the fourth.

Rochester scored three in the second against starter Bekka Houda. With one down, Murillo singled down the left field line. Shelby Corning doubled to left center, moving Murillo to third. Tori Poplaski ran for her. Tiffany White hit a comebacker to Houda. She looked at Poplaski, then threw late to third and that loaded the bases. Fravel singled to center scoring two runs with White moving to third. Fravel tried to steal second and the Warhawks threw her out with White scoring on the play. 

The lead went to 6-1 in the fourth. Murillo doubled off the left field fence. Houda left, replaced by Sporer. Corning walked and White popped out softly to short. Fravel's single up the middle, off Eichenold's glove. That scored Murillo. Hennessy singled to short, loading the bases. Korn struck out swinging before Wechsler lined a 2-2 pitch into center for a hit, scoring two runs.

In the fifth inning, the Warhawks took the lead. Kelly McGrail doubled to right. Krisch's ground ball bounced off Fravel's glove, putting runners on the corner. Amy Ricci walked to load the bases.

Wechsler came in to pitch with Brittany Grage moving to third. Wechsler's first pitch was wild, scoring McGrail and moving up the other runners. Paige Evangelista walked to reload the bases. Laura Eichenold grounded to the right side. The throw home skidded in the dirt and pinchrunner Courtney Smith was ruled safe.

After a strikeout, Chelsea Schobert singled to left center and Seamon followed with a double to right that tied the score. Grage went back to the circle, swapping with Wechsler. Pinch-hitter Caitlyn Snyder singled to right center, scoring Schobert with the go-ahead run.

In the UWW seventh, Seamon singled for her fourth hit. Mimi Ramirez bunted for a single. McGrail moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt, and Krisch hit the first pitch into center field for the gamewinner.

Sporer earned the win (18-5). She pitched four innings, allowing five hits, three runs (all earned), walked two, and struck out two. Houda worked the first three innings. She gave up six hits, four runs (all earned), walked one, and struck out one.

Grage (17-7) took the loss. She allowed 12 hits, five runs (four earned), walked three, and struck out three. Wechsler pitched a third of an inning. She was nicked for two hits, three runs (all earned), walked one, and struck out one.