Montgomery, Ill.—The #1 seeded Dominican University Softball team made it to championship Sunday and got a rematch with the third-seeded Benedictine University Eagles for a chance to lift the NACC trophy.
Results (Game 1):
Dominican: 10
Benedictine: 7
How it Happened:
-The Eagles jumped on the Stars early, scoring 4 runs on 5 hits in the first inning.
-Dominican did not take long to respond, scoring 4 runs on their own in the bottom of the first inning. Senior
Paytin Salfi drew a six-pitch walk with one out. The Davis sisters followed it up with back-to-back singles. Sophomore
Raegyn Davis singled to right field, and Senior
Ryley Davis singled to left field, loading the bases. Sophomore
Madisen Butler brought home the first run for DU by singling to the shortstop. Rae. Davis then scored on a wild pitch to continue the inning. Sophomore
Sara Cornell grabbed the final two runs of the inning, hitting a 2 RBI double to left center field, scoring Butler and Ry. Davis.
-The scoring party continued with Benedictine scoring 3 runs on 3 hits and making the score 7-4 in favor of BenU.
-DU answered once again with Sophomore
Kayla Amormino hitting a single to left center field to start the inning. Sophomore
Isabella Olmos then hit a two-run shot to center field, making the score 7-6.
-After Dominican put up a goose egg on the defensive end, they were able to tie the game with Olmos drawing a four-pitch walk with the bases loaded. Cornell came around to score. The inning started with Cornell hitting a two-out double to left center field. Junior
Emme Slavens picking up a walk, and Amormino collecting her second hit of the game.
-The fourth inning was the first scoreless inning of the game.
-The fifth inning continued with both teams not scratching a run.
-DU shut down the Eagles for the fourth straight inning and swung the momentum back into their dugout.
-The sixth inning started with Olmos hitting a lead-off triple to right field. Senior
Paytin Salfi brought home Olmos on an RBI single to left field. Senior
Ryley Davis then drew a two-out walk and came around to score on an RBI double by Freshman
Charlie Harris. Junior
Kailee Diaz Randall brought home the final run of the inning on an RBI single up the middle, scoring Harris.
-Sophomore
Rhiannon Rubio continued dominating in the circle in the 7
th inning by getting the first two Benedictine hitters retired and then buckled down to earn the last out after a two-out single.
Shining Stars:
-Sophomore
Sara Cornell was on fire going 2-3 with 2 RBIs, 1 run scored, a walk, and 2 doubles.
-Sophomore
Isabella Olmos was incredible, going 2-3 with 3 RBIs, 2 runs scored, a walk, a triple, and a homerun.
-Senior
Ryley Davis continued her incredible season, going 2-3 with 2 runs scored, a walk, and a double.
-Senior
Paytin Salfi went 1-2 with 2 walks, an RBI, a run scored.
-Junior
Kailee Diaz Randall came in off the bench and went 1-2 with an RBI.
-Sophomore
Kayla Amormino brought the speed going 2-4 with a run scored.
-Sophomore
Rhiannon Rubio came in relief and went 6.1 innings and picked up her 8
th win of the season.
Leading the Way:
Hits: Olmos (3)
Runs: Ry. Davis and Olmos (2)
RBI: Olmos (3)
2B: Cornell (2)
3B: Olmos (1)
HR: Olmos (1)
BB: Slavens and Salfi (2)
IP: Rubio (6.1)
The Stars forced the what-if necessary game and played Benedictine University for the winner-take-all game for the NACC Tournament.
Results (Game 2):
Dominican: 7
Benedictine: 6
How it Happened:
-The Eagles once again set the tone early, scoring 2 runs on 2 hits in the top of the first inning.
-Dominican responded by scoring 3 runs on 4 hits in their half of the first.
-The inning started with three straight singles. Sophomore
Isabella Olmos, Senior
Paytin Salfi, and Sophomore
Raegyn Davis, who scored Olmos on her single. Sophomore
Madisen Butler hit a sacrifice fly to right field that brought home Rae. Davis. The final run of the inning came off the bat of Sophomore
Sara Cornell on an RBI single up the middle, scoring Senior
Ryley Davis.
-The second was scoreless between both schools.
-Benedictine tied the game up at 3 on two hits in the top of the third inning.
-DU went in order in the bottom of the third.
-BenU took a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning, scoring a run on a hit.
-Dominican was unable to score a run in the fourth and left a runner stranded on second base.
-The Eagles kept up the pressure, scoring 2 runs on 3 hits in the fifth inning, making the score 6-3.
-Dominican able to come back multiple times in this tournament, started the comeback with a solo homerun by Rae. Davis to left field.
-The momentum stayed in the Stars dugout after the defense left an Eagle runner stranded on second.
-Then in the bottom of the 6
th DU bats sparked. Butler singled up the middle to start the inning. Cornell continued with a double to left center field, moving Freshman pinch runner
Adison Hasse to third base. Sophomore
Kayla Amormino came up in a clutch situation hitting a 2 RBI double to left center field, scoring Cornell and Hasse. Olmos then singled up the middle to deliver the winning run, with Amormino scoring on the hit.
-Sophomore
Rhiannon Rubio came into the game in a relief situation again and was spectacular again. She was able to get Benedictine in order to clinch an NCAA Tournament Berth for the Stars.
Shining Stars:
-Sophomore
Raegyn Davis came up big for the Stars, going 2-4 with 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored, and a homerun.
-Sophomore
Kayla Amormino was incredible all tournament long, and that continued in this one, going 2-2 with 2 RBIs, a run scored, and a double.
-Sophomore
Isabella Olmos in the lead-off spot has been a factor all season long and was 2-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base in this one.
-Sophomore
Sara Cornell was huge all afternoon on Sunday, and in this one she went 2-3 with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.
-Sophomore
Madisen Butler went 1-2 with an RBI.
-Sophomore
Rhiannon Rubio was a huge factor for the Stars in the circle and went 3 innings with 2 strikeouts. Rubio picked up her 9
th win of the season and second win of the day.
Leading the Way:
Hits: Olmos, Amormino, Cornell, and Rae. Davis (2)
Runs: Rae. Davis (2)
RBI: Amormino and Rae. Davis (2)
2B: Cornell and Amormino (1)
HR: Rae. Davis (1)
SB: Olmos and Cornell (1)
BB: Ry. Davis, Harris, and Diaz Randall (1)
IP: Rivard (4)
K: Rubio (2)
What's Next:
Dominican University Softball finishes the regular season with a 25-15 overall record and 19-5 in NACC play. The Stars move to 29-16 on the season and win the NACC Tournament Championship for the second time in three years. Dominican University Softball awaits their regional placement in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA DIII Selection Show is tomorrow (5/11/26) at 10:00 a.m. to see where the Stars will be taking their talents too.
