ALLIANCE, Ohio – For the first time since 1997, the OAC Softball Tournament Championship trophy has a home in Columbus as the No. 6 seeded Capital University softball team shocked the conference and won the third OAC Tournament Championship in program history on Saturday evening with a 7-2 win over No. 4 seeded Heidelberg. The win also secures the OAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament – the program's first appearance in the big dance since 2013.
The Comets pulled off history with the win, earning the program's third ever OAC Tournament title, joining the 1991 and 1997 teams to accomplish the same feat. Capital's impending trip to the NCAA Tournament marks the fifth time in program history in which the Purple and White have reached the NCAA postseason, joining the 1991, 1997, 2002 and 2013 teams. Furthermore, the OAC newly expanded the tournament to a six-team tournament for the first time in conference history this season, allowing the Comets to claim the title as the lowest seed in conference history to win the tournament.
The win boosts Capital's record to 21-17 overall this season and the loss sets Heidelberg back to 28-15 on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Comets were forced to work for the win in this game as the team was no-hit through three full innings and fell behind 2-0 in the second inning. Despite all that, the Comets showed what they have shown all season by never giving up and staying in the game.
Capital's offense finally got churning in the fourth inning as
Autumn Bridges collected the first hit of the day and eventually moved to second on a single by
Shelby Allen. The pair then scored to tie the game at 2-2 as
Megan Parry hit a double to right field.
The tied score carried into the fifth when Capital garnered their first lead of the game.
Morgan Priest led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Audrey Thomas. This brought up
Kyleigh Kirby who clubbed a monstrous home run to left field, putting the Comets up 4-2. This home run was Kirby's sixth of the season and 24th of her career.
From there, the Comets sought insurance and found it in the top of the sixth inning.
Megan Parry started things with a single up the middle and was advanced to second on a sacrifice by
Reagan Irons, setting up a two-out rally. First,
Isabel Sayre singled to keep it going before both Sayre and Parry scored on a two-RBI single by
Morgan Priest that made it 6-2. Then, after a pair of singles by Kirby and Thomas loaded the bases,
Autumn Bridges drew a walk to bring in the seventh run. That run was the icing on the cake, to seal the 7-2 eventual final score.
In the bottom of the seventh,
Alyssa Miller worked a 1-2-3 inning to polish off the historic victory for the Comets.
In all, Capital collected 11 hits, led by two each from
Kyleigh Kirby,
Megan Parry and
Morgan Priest.
Autumn Bridges,
Shelby Allen,
Reagan Irons,
Isabel Sayre and
Audrey Thomas each had one hit.
Addi Parker started in the pitcher's circle and tossed 1.1 innings where she allowed the two runs on three hits and a walk.
Alyssa Miller (10-6) then came on to finish the game, throwing 5.2 innings of relief where she allowed just two hits and three walks. She struck out four Student Princes in the process.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
The Comets landed four on the OAC All-Tournament Team after the conclusion of the championship game.
Morgan Priest was named the Tournament MVP and she was joined by teammates
Addi Parker,
Reagan Irons and
Autumn Bridges on the All-Tournament Team.
UP NEXT
The Comets have earned the OAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will await the NCAA Selection Show to determine their destination for Regionals set to begin on Thursday. The Selection Show will take place on Monday, May 11th at 11 a.m. Stay tuned to athletics.capital.edu for coverage.
