TYLER, Texas -- The Trine University softball team bowed out of the 2019 NCAA Division III Softball Championship today following a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Texas Lutheran University.

The Thunder scored first in today's contest when freshman Lexi Clark (Canton, Mich. / Canton) came up with a two-out single to bring home senior Lainey McCue (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake) from third.

The 1-0 lead lasted until the bottom of the third when the Bulldogs put together a few hits in a row to plate two runs of their own and take the 2-1 lead.

Junior Michaela Hartline (Niles, Mich. / Brandywine) added to her already stellar championship with a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to put the team ahead again at 3-2.

Texas Lutheran took back the lead in the fifth with two runs and then added two more in the sixth to build their lead to 6-3. They then shut out the Thunder in the seventh to take the victory.

The Thunder finish the season with a 37-8 overall record. They end the season in a tie for third nationally the best finish by a Trine athletics team in the university's NCAA era.