The Denison softball team closed out its magical 2012 season on Saturday morning in Alma, Mich.  In the third elimination game of the NCAA Regional, DU suffered a 1-0 setback to Chicago and ends its season with a 28-19 record.

Saturday's opener didn't break away from the tone set by most of the games at the Alma Regional.  The contest between the Big Red and the Maroons marked the seventh game out of the first nine that was decided by one run.

In the second, Chicago got their first two runners on base via a walk and a single.  However, sophomore pitcher Becca Dyer induced a foul out to Jess Robertson, a line out to senior captain Hannah Price, and struck out Zoe Oliver-Grey to escape the early jam.  In the bottom of the frame, singles by Meghan Edwards and Heather Larsen and a two-out wild pitch put runners in scoring position.  Maroon pitcher Kim Cygan worked out of her own dilemma by inducing and fielding a pop out.

Two innings later, Chicago's Julia Schneider hit a leadoff double to center field.  After a ground out to Emily Lipsitz moved Schneider up 60 feet, Raechel Cloud drove in the go-ahead run on a deep fly out to Price.

The Big Red had a chance to answer in the bottom of the fourth when Edwards and Robertson led off the frame with back-to-back singles. However, an infield fly out, a fielder's choice and a strike out kept DU off the board.

Dyer found herself in some trouble in the seventh after a single and a fielder's choice that yielded no outs.  The sophomore hurler got Maddie McManus to fly out to center, but both base runners were able to advance 60 feet on the deep fly out.  With one out and two runners in scoring position, first-year third baseman Julie Rooney snagged a line drive for the second out of the inning.  Dyer successfully got out of the jam with a soft ground out to Lipsitz.

Much like yesterday's game against Penn State-Behrend, Denison trailed entering the bottom of the seventh with the seven, eight and nine hitters scheduled to bat.  With one out, sophomore Gretchen Staubach reached safely on a fielding error by Schneider.  The game-tying run, in the form of pinch runner Rosie Glaser, advanced to second on a wild pitch.  After senior Kait Fiore reached via base-on-balls, a ground out by Price moved the game-tying and game-winning runs into scoring position.  With two down, Rooney's shot to the right side was grabbed by Schneider and thrown to first for the final out of the game.

Edwards paced the DU offense with two hits, while Price, Rooney, Robertson and Larsen each recorded a single.  Dyer took the loss despite a solid day inside the circle.  The sophomore scattered four hits, allowed one run and struck out seven in seven innings of work.

Saturday's contest also marked the final collegiate game for both Fiore and Price (pictured hugging).  Fiore finished her four-year career with 106 hits, 18 doubles, two triples, 33 RBIs, 78 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.  Price leaves Denison the all-time leader in games played, starting all 170 contests she's appeared in.  She is also second in hits (178), fourth in at bats (526), tied for fifth in batting average (.338), sixth in runs (92) and walks (39), and seventh in RBIs (76), total bases (209) and on-base percentage (.386).