Seniors Kait Fiore and Hannah Price helped Denison secure its eighth-straight North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament appearance on Senior Day in Granville.  After suffering a 7-6 loss to Hiram in the opener, a walk-off single by Price sent the Big Red to a 1-0 win in game two.

With one on and two outs, Fiore kept Denison's hopes alive with a double down the left field line that hit the top of the wall.  The extra-base hit moved first-year Emily Lipsitz, the game-winning run, to third base.  After watching the first pitch of her at bat carry high out of the strike zone, Price timed up the 1-0 delivery from Amethyst Brigham and sent a shot into left center that scored Lipsitz and cleared the Denison bench.

The base hit by Price assured Denison the fourth and final spot in next weekend's NCAC Tournament hosted by Allegheny College.  No. 2 seeded Wooster and third-seeded DePauw will open postseason play at 10 a.m. on Friday, while DU and the top-seeded Gators are scheduled to take the field at 12 p.m.

Brigham and Big Red starting pitcher Kelsey Hager were both on point throughout the entire seven-inning contest.  The Terriers were able to move a runner into scoring position in the first three frames, including a second and third situation in the third.  In the third, Hiram tried to bunt in a run from third, but a heads up play by Jess Robertson gunned down Miranda Wright at the plate to keep it a scoreless contest.  Heather Larsen also helped out her pitcher by snagging a line drive in right field for the third out of the inning.

The DU hurler found her groove as she retired nine-straight spanning the third through sixth innings.  Alexandra Singer broke up the string with a two-out double in the sixth, but a ground out by Jessica Bolanz ended the inning.  Rookie Julie Rooney led off the bottom of the frame with a double to right.  However, a sacrifice bunt, a ground out to third and a strikeout left Rooney stranded at third base.

Hiram got its leadoff batter on board via base-on-balls in the seventh.  After a ground out to Lipsitz moved Kelly Langland to second, Hager induced a pop up to Rooney and struck out Wright to set up the walk-off finish.

Hager notched her 10th win of the season after scattering four hits and striking out six in seven innings of work.  Brigham surrendered one run on three this with five Ks and three walks in 6.2 innings.

In game one, Denison jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind a six-run second inning.  A one-out walk by Hiram starter Taylor Charles sparked DU's six-run outburst.  Following the free pass, Gretchen Staubach, Fiore, and Price recorded three-straight singles, while Rooney and Rachel Laughlin logged back-to-back doubles.  In all, the Big Red pounded out seven of its 15 hits in the frame.

Despite Denison's early offense, the Terriers rallied to score seven unanswered runs en route to the 7-6 win.  Hiram's first-five runs came via the long ball, while a Singer base hit plated the game-tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh.

Becca Dyer (5-3) took the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts.  Brigham got the win in relief after throwing four scoreless innings.  Rooney went 5-for-5 in the opener, and finished the day with six hits.

Denison finished the season with a 9-7 NCAC record and will take a 24-16 mark into the conference tournament, while Hiram ends its year at 19-17 overall and 9-7 in league play.  Saturday's doubleheader also marked the final home game for Denison seniors Fiore and Price (pictured left with their parents and Coach Tiffany Ozbun).  The duo has won 105 games, and captured three NCAC regular season titles and one tournament crown.