Elliot's sixth-inning RBI triple leads Softball to thrilling 1-0 victory against Capital to advance to the OAC Tournament Semifinals

By Andrew Loewe

ADA — Junior Abby Elliott (Sunbury/Big Walnut) tripled home junior pinch-runner (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) Rachel Hish in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie and lead the fourth-seeded Ohio Northern softball team to a 1-0 win against fifth-seeded Capital Wednesday afternoon in the OAC Tournament Quarterfinals.

With the win, the Polar Bears (21-17-1 overall) advance to the OAC Tournament Semifinals and will play at top-seeded and No. 16-ranked Mount Union Thursday at 4 pm.

The Crusaders end their season 16-21.

With the score tied 0-0, senior Abby Davis (New Palestine, Ind.) led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single. 

Hish then came on to pinch-run and Elliott blasted a tripled to the wall in the right field corner to easily plate the speedy Hish and give the Polar Bears the 1-0 lead.

Junior Stacey Walters (Sunbury/Big Walnut) shut the door in the top half of the seventh inning, retiring the last three Crusaders after allowing a lead-off double.

Walters (13-5) threw her 16th complete game of the season, and fourth shutout while recording seven strikeouts and only allowing three hits.

ONU out-hit CU 4-3.