MARSHALL, Texas – The Trine University softball team picked up a 4-1 victory over Coe College to advance to their second-straight NCAA Division III Softball Championship Series. The Thunder have won four straight elimination games after dropping their opening game of the tournament.

"I could not be more proud of this group," said head coach Don Danklefsen, "They are so resilient. The heart and fight they have showed these last few days is just amazing."

Aside from having their backs against the wall from the start, the team has also faced ample adversity caused by the weather in eastern Texas. Two of their last three games were heavily delayed by inclement weather, including today's, which was scheduled to be played last night before being postponed to this morning.

Anna Koeppl started for the second game in a row and pitched a fantastic first inning, before struggling in the second. The Kohawks would take advantage of the lapse and load the bases with two outs, forcing a change in the circle. Debbie Hill entered in relief and walked the first runner to give the opposition the first run of the game. It was one of just two walks for the freshman in the contest, with the next batter going down on strikes to end the threat and the inning.

"I was just trying to come in and do my job," explained Hill, "When Anna got pulled, I told her that she doesn't need to worry I've got her back. With our lineup of hitters, I knew our offense was going to come through and produce."

They did just that in the bottom of the second. Hill started by drawing a walk, before giving way to Emily Wheaton on the base path. The speedster quickly swiped second before moving to third on Amanda Prather's sacrifice bunt, bringing Emma Beyer to the plate with just one out.

"I knew that Wheaton is fast and had a chance to score on any ball in play," said Beyer, "SO I just wanted to make sure I put the ball on the ground anywhere on the right side of the field."

Her grounder to the second drew a throw home by Coe, but it wasn't quick enough to catch Wheaton and Beyer reached on the fielder's choice. After a groundout by Scarlett Elliott moved Beyer to second, Ashleigh Tranter gave the team their first lead of the day with a double to left center field.

"I thought that inning was textbook," said Danklefsen, "It wasn't necessarily pretty, but you couldn't ask for better execution to tie and take the lead in the game."

Hill really started to roll in the circle in the next inning, striking out a pair to make for a quick third.

Cassie Woods led off the bottom of the third with a single and the Thunder looked to manufacture another run by bunting her to second base. They needed have worried with Hill helping herself with a monster homerun that cleared the scoreboard in right centerfield.

"It just looks so pretty, I had to hit," Debbie said when asked about both her homers this weekend going right at the scoreboard.

"Well actually it went over it this time," reminded coach Danklefsen, "But that hit changed the momentum of the game. It just kind of took the wind out of their sails."

Maybe it did, but the fantastic pitching by Hill probably had more to do with the win. She shutdown the Kohawk offense, allowing just one more baserunner after the homer while finishing the game with 10 strikeouts. Neither team scored and the game ended 4-1 in favor of the Thunder.

The team improves to 44-5, breaking the program record for most wins in a season. The team now resets to take on top-seeded Salisbury University in a best of three series, with the winner being crowned the 2023 NCAA Division III Softball champions.

The Sea Gulls won their way back from an opening game loss as well, earning their spot in the final series with a come from behind victory last night. They scored four runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to win their game. They enter the final games with a 48-4 record.

The two teams will meet for one game tomorrow, Tuesday, June 6. That game is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. CT / noon ET and will once again be played at Jason Bell Park at Taylor Field on the campus of East Texas Baptist University.