Madonna Wins Softball Tournament with No-Hitter
SYLVANIA, Ohio - (BOX SCORE) - Madonna made it through the 2023 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Softball Tournament uscathed to capture its first tournament title since 2012 and sixth overall. The fourth-seeded Crusaders defeated No. 3 Concordia 2-0 in the championship game to become only the second fourth seed to win the tournament crown after UNOH did it in 2018.
Madonna's two runs came in the top of the third when Bailey Martin singled to the left side with two out and advanced to second on a single by Mackenzie Ming. After Lucy Bennin entered to pinch run for Martin, Kelsi Littleton singled to score Bennin and then Ming scored from third on a throwing error.
Concordia got a runner on base in the bottom of the third when Bella Lee reached on a walk to start the inning, but the Cardinals were unable to move her around. The fourth inning also saw the lead off batter, Koryn Playford, draw a walk, but once again CUAA was unable to capitalize on it.
Ming led Madonna with two hits and Littleton had the game's lone RBI. MU pitcher Maeson Schlaud continued her extraordinary season by pitching a no-hitter and walking only two. The junior struck out five while facing 23 batters to improve to 23-4.
Paige Anderson (20-8) took the loss on the mound for the Cardinals (40-16), scattering eight hits through seven innings and striking out three. The sophomore walked two and gave up the one earned run while facing 29 batters.
The tournament title also gives Madonna the league's second automatic berth to the 2023 NAIA Softball World Series Opening Round May 15-17 on campus sites. Indiana Tech claimed the first automatic as regular-season champions.
All-Time Softball Tournament Champions
2001: (1) Cornerstone
2002: (1) Concordia
2003: (2) Cornerstone
2004: (1) Cornerstone
2005: No Tournament
2006: No Tournament
2007: (2) Madonna
2008: (1) Madonna
2009: (1) Madonna
2010: (1) Madonna
2011: (1) Davenport
2012: (2) Madonna
2013: (2) Davenport
2014: (1) Davenport
2015: (2) Davenport
2016: (1) Davenport
2017: (1) Davenport
2018: (4) UNOH
2019: (3) Siena Heights
2020: No Tournament due to season canceled because of COVID-19
2021 (1) Aquinas
2022: (2) UM-Dearborn
2023: (4) Madonna