TYLER, TX – Thirteenth-ranked St. Thomas scored four runs apiece in the first and second innings and went on to defeat the University of Rochester, 9-1, in an elimination game of the NCAA Division III Softball Championships on Friday afternoon.
 
With the loss, Rochester was knocked out of the double-elimination tournament. The Yellowjackets finished the season at 32-14. St. Thomas raised its record to 43-8 and will play another elimination game on Saturday afternoon. The Tommies lost their opener, 1-0, to Salisbury University on Thursday. Rochester lost, 8-7, to Wisconsin-Whitewater in its Thursday opener.
 
Brenna Walek was 2-2 with a grand slam home run (in the first) for St. Thomas. Emily Gregory was 3-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
 
"St. Thomas is a very good hitting team," said Rochester coach Margaret Yerdon-Grange. "They capitalized on our pitching mistakes. When we put it over the plate, they hit it."
 
Five players had hits for Rochester. The Yellowjackets strung together three hits and two sac bunts to produce their run in the top of the fifth (down 8-0). St. Thomas scored in the bottom of the fifth for the eight-run mercy rule margin.
 
"I thought we were a little bit anxious at the plate," Yerdon-Grange said.
 
Katie Jo Delisle picked up the victory (3-1). She scattered five hits, walked two, and struck out two. She allowed one earned run.
 
Eleni Wechsler started for the Yellowjackets and took the loss (15-5). She induced a ground out  by the leadoff hitter, but the Tommies reached her for three straight singles to load the bases. Walek hit a 1-0 pitch over the left centerfield fence for a 4-0 lead.
 
Brittany Grage, who started Thursday's opener, relieved. She got four straight outs – two groundouts to end the first, then another groundout and a flyout to left to begin the bottom of the second.
 
With two down, Grage struggled a bit. Jenna Hoffman singled and stole second. Bianca Peterson walked. A wild pitch advanced both runners and Gregory doubled down the left field line for a 6-0 lead.
 
Erin Mussett was hit by a pitch. The Yellowjackets walked Walek intentionally. Two more walks – unintentional – followed, forcing home two more runs (8-0).  She retired seven of the next nine to get through the fourth.
 
Rochester got on the scoreboard in the fifth. Shelby Corning yanked a single down the right field line. Grage singled to left, moving Corning to second. Laurelle Byrne-Cody bunted the runners over.
 
Tayler Fravel, who had three RBIs in Thursday's game, picked up her fourth RBI of the softball finals when she singled off the third baseman's glove. Corning scored and Grage held. Meg Hennessy bunted the runners over, but Delisle escaped further damage by striking out Nina Korn.
 
Rochester made a big defensive play in the bottom of the fifth. McKenzie Wergin singled to left. Meg DuPuis bunted down the first base line. The Yellowjackets let it roll and it hugged the line. Wergin was able to advance to third because both corners were charging. DuPuis started towards second. Korn threw the ball to Hennessy at short. When Wergin started home, Hennessy threw to Alyssa Murillo. She threw back to Wechsler who tagged out Wergin before she could dive back into the bag.
 
Hoffman walked and Peterson grounded out to Korn for the second out. Micaela Trainor lined the ball off Grage's glove. Her off-balance throw to Korn was in the dirt and couldn't be fielded cleanly. DuPuis scored on the infield single, ending the game.
 
Grage worked 4.1 innings in relief. She allowed seven hits, five walks, and five runs (all earned).
 
After the game, Yerdon-Grange spent some time talking with her players. "I didn't want this to take away from everything we accomplished this year," she said. "For the players who will return for us next year, they had a chance to see – and take part in – the best of college softball."
 
"I couldn't have asked for a better experience," Korn said. "It's been a great run."