DePauw softball glided across home plate with the winning run over Allegheny College in its doubleheader Saturday afternoon to clinch the title share for the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament.
Allegheny lost 3-2, 6-5 to the DePauw Tigers who improved their overall record to 12-2 in the conference.
DePauw is ranked first in the NCAC standings with Kenyon College ranked second, 8-4. The Tigers will face Kenyon this coming Saturday, but with the Allegheny defeat DePauw can now relax.
"The win takes the pressure off us," freshman Linsey Button said. "We know we've made the tournament."
Game one started off slow for the Tiger's offense, as they were unable to get a hitter on base until the fourth inning. Senior Amy Hallet struck a one-out homer to left and Haleigh Chasteen, freshman, followed hitting a single getting on base. Junior pinch runner Lauren Krumwiede went in to score on Button's steal to second tying the score 1-1.
The third inning brought exciting news for the Tigers. Hallet broke the doubles record held by Jen Kosinksi with her 49th career double.
The Allegheny Gators scored two more runs in the top of the fifth after Sadie Stuart, hit by a pitch, scored on Stephanie Fort's double. The Tigers were not worried, though they were down, 3-1, and came back after their small mistakes to snatch the win in the bottom of the fifth.
"When something went wrong we were able to pick each other up and make sure the next play picked up the part of the field that didn't work," Button said.
DePauw did just this as senior Samantha Szyska singled with two outs and moved to second on an error. Hallet brought Szyska in with a base hit to left to win the game.
Allegheny took the lead in the nightcap 1-0 in the first inning, but the team worked together to get each other on base to even the score.
"We were able to get people on base, move them around and bring out the big hits," Button said.
DePauw trailed Allegheny up until the fourth and fifth innings where they were able to even the score once more, 3-3, before the eighth when both teams knocked in two more runs.
The Gators were unable to score off the Tigers in the top of the ninth and Szyska singled up the middle, advanced on Chasteen's pitch and then advanced to third on Chasteen's drive down left. The Gator's outfielder threw past third to bring Szyska in for the win, 6-5.
The Tigers will travel to Manchester University in a non-conference game Wednesday, April 24.
