SALEM, Va. – The Trine University softball team opened their trip to the final site of the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Championship with a victory over Belhaven University. The final score of the contest was 7-5.
After making quick work of the Blazers in the top of the first, the Thunder wasted no time putting themselves on the board. Whitney Duell, Karley Trine and Tyra Marcum led off the game with three extra-base hits, with the former two scoring for the 2-0 lead. Later in the inning Abbie Geib had an RBI hit that made the score 3-0.
Belhaven answered with a run of their own in the second, but the reduced lead was short lived. Debbie Hill followed up a Marcum walk in the bottom half of the inning with a homer to right center field pulling the Thunder ahead 5-1.
Blazers plated two more in the third and held Trine scoreless for the first frame of the contest, taking it to the fourth inning 5-3.
The next run came in the bottom of the fourth when Jo Trine came up with a two-out single before advancing to second on an error. Marcum followed up with a single of her own, with Trine beating the throw home for the 6-3 lead.
The team added another insurance run in the fifth. Clare Feehan pinch hit to start the inning and came up with a double in the left corner of the outfield. She advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on a miscue by the pitcher.
The Blazers made one last attempt at a rally, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to cut the score to 7-5. Hill buckled down over the final outs and finished off the game with the win.
Hill picked up her 13th win of the season after entering in relief during the third inning. She finished the game allowing four runs, none earned, on seven hits and two walks. She struck out nine along the way.
Trine improves to 39-6 overall following the victory. They will now face Simpson College tomorrow, Friday, May 29. The Storm won their contest against the University of Mount Union 4-3 today to also advance to the winners' side of the bracket. This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams, with Simpson holding a one game advantage in the series. The last time they met was during spring break of 2016.
The game on Friday is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
