Tri-C overpowers Grand Rapids C.C., 7-3, in battle between Region 12 Champions

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (athletics.tri-c.edu) – In a tightly-contested battle of the two Region 12 Champions, the Cuyahoga Community College Triceratops (34-7, 16-1 OCCAC) rode a strong offensive showing and three no-hit relief innings from Jayliana Wilt (Fr./Youngstown, Ohio) to a 7-3 win over the Grand Rapids Community College Raiders (42-10, 23-2 MCCAA), May 20.

The win sends the No. 18 seeded Triceratops further into the consolation bracket of the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series and eliminates the No. 16 seeded Raiders from the field.

Starting pitcher Julee Phillips (So./Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) set the tone for the Triceratops with 4.0 scoreless innings and six strikeouts, but the Raiders consistently found ways to get on base against both Phillips and Brooke Brubaker (Fr./Columbiana, Ohio). Wilt entered the game in the top of the fifth and was quickly staring down a bases-loaded jam with no outs. But the two-way freshman delivered, forcing two force-outs at home plate and then striking out the final Raider of the inning to escape unscathed.

That would be the model for Wilt the rest of the way, who didn't surrender a hit to the 14 batters she faced.

In a role-reversal from yesterday's loss to No. 19 ranked and 15^th seeded Louisburg College, the Triceratops took advantage of any Grand Rapids error they could. Five total Raider errors led to three runs – including two insurance runs in the home half of the sixth to put Tri-C on top for good.

Offensively, Sammi Zabak (So./Broadview Heights, Ohio) continued her hot streak in Spartanburg with two more hits, bringing her total line to three-for-seven with two RBIs and a run scored. Adriana Guarnieri (Fr./Chillicothe, Ohio) also posted two hits on the game, while Lexi Gray (So./Tallmadge, Ohio/Baldwin-Wallace) paced the Triceratops with two runs scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Phillips dominated the first two innings, allowing only one baserunner via a walk and punching out four Raiders.
• On the back of Phillips's hot start, the Triceratops offense got things started in the bottom of the second with an RBI double by Zabak and Guarnieri coming in to score on a throwing error to take a 2-0 lead.
• The Raider offense got solid wood on the ball against Phillips in the top of the third, with an RBI single putting the game within one run at 2-1.
• Tri-C got that run back in their next at-bats, courtesy of a single by Guarnieri that scored Gray to put Tri-C up 3-1 through three innings of play.
• Brubaker came out to start the top of the fifth and had trouble finding the strike zone, with an RBI double trimming the Triceratops' lead to 3-2 before Wilt showed off her escapism to get out of the bases-loaded, no-out jam.
• Invigorated by the pitching by Wilt, Tri-C's offense loaded up two more runs with an Isabelle Kepple (So./Miamisburg, Ohio) single down the third base line and a single by Zabak to take a 5-3 lead.
• With their backs against the wall, Grand Rapids started to commit errors that Tri-C was more than happy to take advantage of. A dropped fly ball in right field put Braelyn Boguski (Fr./Parma, Ohio) on base, who later scored on an error off the bat of Reese Adkins (So./Oak Harbor, Ohio). Another error put Gray on base before Kepple grounded into an RBI fielder's choice to put Tri-C up 7-3 heading into the seventh inning.
• The Raiders had a chance with a two-out walk off of Wilt to get things started, but the freshman forced a fly out to center field to cement the 7-3 win for the Triceratops.

UP NEXT

Tri-C stays alive in the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series and will play No. 12 seeded and No. 15 ranked Johnson County Community College tomorrow, May 21. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. at Field #4 in Spartanburg, S.C.'s Tyger River Park.

All games in the NJCAA Division II Softball World Series will be broadcast live on the NJCAA Network. NJCAA Network is a pay-per-view broadcaster, daily passes available at $12, tournament passes at $35 and championship game passes at $5.

Tickets are available on-site at Tyger River Park, with daily passes being $15/person, tournament passes being $50/person and children under 12 entering free. Parking is available on-site at no charge.

FOLLOW THE TRICERATOPS

Keep up with all things Tri-C Athletics by following the Triceratops on Instagram @tri_c_athletics, Facebook @Tri-C Athletics and X @TriCAthletics.

Follow the softball team on Instagram at @tri.c_softball.