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COLUMBUS – The No. 22 Capital University softball team won its first Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament game since 2007 in dramatic fashion, defeating fourth-seeded Marietta 3-2 at Clowson Field.

Capital was defeated 9-5 in its second game against No. 3 seed Mount Union.

The Crusaders (33-9 overall), the No. 1 seed and OAC regular season champion, take on the winner of today's John Carroll-Marietta game at 11 a.m. tomorrow for a spot in the tournament championship game, which takes place immediately following at 1 p.m. against Mount Union.

Trailing 2-0 through 5 1/2 innings of its first game, Capital plated one in the bottom of the sixth on a single to left field by sophomore centerfielder Kelsey Swain (Pickerington, Ohio).

After sophomore relief pitcher Alyssa Patznick (Newark, Ohio) retired her eighth straight hitter with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, freshman Lacey Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) came in to pinch hit with one out and runners on first and second. After a wild pitch moved the runners over, Romero lined a shot that deflected off the pitcher and over to second base to score freshman second baseman Brooklyn Staten (Grove City, Ohio) from third. When the throw to first dribbled back to the fence, freshman Katie Hurst (Macedonia, Ohio), who was pinch running for freshman designated player Sarah Nist (North Canton, Ohio), scampered home for a walk-off victory.

Patznick picked up the win to improve to 18-4 on the season in relief of sophomore starter Brooke Billings (Clyde, Ohio), who tossed the first 4 1/3 frames.

Nist led the Crusaders with three hits. The Pioneers (21-16) matched Capital's five hits in the game.

Capital jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the nightcap and led 4-3 through two innings, but a five-run fourth inning gave the Purple Raiders (24-11) a four-run advantage. Mount Union hung on for the win to snap the Crusaders' 16-game winning streak.

Swain and freshman third baseman Katlyn Simpson (Loudonville, Ohio) led Capital with three hits apiece. Senior shortstop Devan Boggs (West Jefferson, Ohio) tallied two hits, two runs and a run batted in, while senior first baseman Lexi Majoy (Huron, Ohio) posted two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Patznick took the loss, her fifth of the season against 18 wins, after tossing the first three-plus innings of the contest. Billings came on in relief and pitched the final three frames.