UW-Oshkosh softball headed to College World Series
(WFRV) – For just the third time in program history, UW-Oshkosh softball punched its ticket to the DIII College World Series.
After being shutout by Trine University in the Super Regional on Thursday afternoon, the Titans completed the double header sweep on Friday to knock off the defending champions and keep their national title hopes alive.
Facing elimination in game two, Oshkosh got the bats going in the sixth inning, loading the bases with a pair of singles and an error to bring Morgan Rau to the plate. Rau capitalized on the opportunity and snuck a single down the right field line that scored Mia Crotty and Brianna Davis. Abby Garceau sent another run home in the following at-bat. She scored pinch runner Lizzie Slobodecki on a single to left field.
Oshkosh West grad Brianna Bougie closed the door on the Thunder and forced a game three in the seventh inning by forcing two straight groundouts to Morgan Rau and a pop up to Haylie Wittman in just three pitches. The Titans won 3-1 in game two.
In game three, Oshkosh picked right back up where it left off in the first inning of the second game of the day. Sydney Rau hit a leadoff single to left center, followed by Davis who reached first on an error and Sophie Wery’s single to left field. Ritter sent Rau and Davis home by singling to the shortstop and Wittman scored Wery with two outs, singling to the pitcher and making the score 3-0.
From there, the Titans relied on Bougie who threw all seven innings of both games, allowing just three runs on 12 hits and two walks with her six strikeouts. Oshkosh clinched the super regional win in game three with a final score of 5-2.
Oshkosh will head to the DIII College World Series in Texas for just the third time in program history. The previous two appearances came in 1988 and 2021.
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