Wisconsin-Whitewater rallies from five-run deficit to beat Rochester (N.Y.)

TYLER, Texas -- UW-Whitewater came back from a 6-1 deficit to defeat Rochester (N.Y.), 8-7, in the first game of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship on Thursday. Samie Seamon bolstered the comeback and the Warhawks offense with a perfect day at the plate going 4-for-4 with one run and three RBI. Morgan Krisch had one hit in the game, but it was a walk-off single to center field. 

The Yellowjackets took an early lead with a big second inning. A single, double and fielder's choice that left every one safe on the base paths loaded the bases for Rochester with one out. A single to right center brought in two and put runners on the corners. The runner from first took off on the next pitch and got in a rundown long enough to allow another Yellowjacket to cross the plate.

UW-W narrowed the gap in the bottom of the inning. Paige Evangelista walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Seamon's two-out single to right field plated Whitewater's first run of the game to make the score 3-1.

Rochester led off the fourth with a double to left field. Three more singles in the inning led to three more runs of U of R to extend their lead to 6-1 but the Warhawks offense was just getting going. 

Kelly McGrail doubled to right center to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Krisch put the ball in play and reached safely on a Yellowjacket error and Amy Ricci drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. A wild pitch advanced the runners and allowed one to score. Evangelista drew a walk to load the bases a second time, still with no outs.

Rochester chose to throw home on a fielder's choice in the next at bat but pinch runner Courtney Smith got a good jump and slid in safely. With one out and the bases still juiced, Chelsey Schobert singled to centerfield to plate one and Seamon came up clutch with a double to right field to bring in two more for UW-W. Caitlin Snyder stepped to plate as a pinch hitter and kept the inning going with a single to right center that scored Whitewater's sixth run of the inning and give the Warhawks a 7-6 lead. 

A single, walk and hit by pitch to lead off the top of the sixth loaded the bases for Rochester but the Warhawks held the Yellowjackets to just one run in the inning to head into the bottom of the sixth with a tie score, 7-7.

UW-W had two baserunners in their half of the inning but were unable to drive in a run for the lead. 

Kelynn Sporer and the Whitewater defense retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to get back on offense.

Seamon sealed the perfect day at the plate with a leadoff single through the left side. Mimi Ramirez bunted to third but beat out the throw to first to put the first two batters on for UW-W. McGrail sacrificed both runners into scoring position to bring Krisch to the batter's box. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Whitewater rattled off 14 hits in the game including four off the bat of Seamon and three from Ramirez. 

Sporer improved to 18-5 on the season throwing 4.0 innings of relief allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two and walking two.