The Denison softball team scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Ithaca College Bombers in the third-place game of the Bronze Championship Bracket on Sunday at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic in Panama City Beach, Fla.

After four and a half scoreless innings, Ithaca went up 1-0 when Meghan Kissinger scored on a sacrifice bunt by Kait Dolan.  The Big Red tied the game at 1-1 following a lead-off home run by senior catcher Brie Berkopec (Mars, Pa./Mars Senior) in the top of the sixth inning.

In an epic pitchers dual, the two squads combined for just one hit over the next two and a half innings of play.   With the international tiebreaker rule in effect, Denison took the lead in the top half of the ninth.  After senior Alex Murray (Mayfield Hts., Ohio/NDCL) stole third to start the frame, sophomore Hannah Price (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) knocked in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to right field.  DU added another run when Erica Evans (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) blasted a solo home run later in the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, senior pitcher Leslie Brenner (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) got the lead-off hitter to pop out.  She then induced a 4-3-5 double play to end the game.  Brenner scattered just five hits over nine innings in one of the best performances of her career.

At the end of the day,  Berkopec was one of 13 players named to the Leadoff Classic's all-tournament team.

Denison (3-3) returns to action on March 19 when they take on Salisbury at the Sea Gull Invitational Tournament held in Salisbury, Md.  The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.