GREENCASTLE, Ind. (May 12, 2023) – Freshman Brooke Surbaugh helped lead the third-seeded Denison University softball team to a 6-0 win over second-seeded Ohio Wesleyan University in the opening game of the 2023 North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament after hitting a solo home run in the first inning and pitching a complete game shutout. However, in the winner's bracket game versus fourth-seeded Hiram College, the Big Red suffered a 5-4 defeat in 11 innings, sending the Big Red to an elimination game to be played on Sunday.
 
Game 1 (Denison 6, Ohio Wesleyan 0):

• Surbaugh limited the Battling Bishops to five hits and one walk while striking out nine to earn the complete game shutout.
• Surbaugh pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings and helped her own cause at the plate with a two-out solo home run to stake the Big Red to a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
• Denison added four total runs and three unearned runs in a top of the third inning that featured three errors by the Bishops.
• In the top of the sixth inning, senior Maggie Ballentine came up with a two-out double to right center field before scoring on the ensuing RBI-single from Jordyn Maurer.
• Ballentine and Surbaugh both finished with two hits and two runs scored in the opening game of the tournament.

 
Game 2 (Denison 4, Hiram 5):

• Hiram scored in the first inning with a two-out RBI-single through the right side following a hit by pitch on the first at bat of the game, and then in the second inning, another hit by pitch followed by back-to-back fielding errors by the Big Red with two outs allowed an unearned run to score.
• Denison got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning when Alessandra Groome led off with a double to left field, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a single down the left field line by Brianna Gonzalez. Later on in the inning, the Big Red tied it at 2-2 on an RBI on a fielder's choice by Maurer.
• Four straight singles gave Hiram a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning before Denison answered with its second two-run inning in a row thanks to a two-out, two-run home run to center field by Gonzalez in the bottom half.
• However, the Terriers pushed across a run in the top of the seventh inning with a leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt, a groundout to move the runner to third base and a two-out RBI-single to tie the game at 4-4.
• From there, Denison left the potential winning run on third base in the bottom of the seventh inning and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.
• Hiram, meanwhile, took advantage of an error by the Big Red to start off the top of the 11th inning as a sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position with just one out. Then with two outs and the runner still at second after a flyout to right field, back-to-back singles scored what would be the winning run for the Terriers.
• In the bottom of the 11th, the Big Red got the leadoff hitter on base with a walk, but after apparently stealing second base to get into scoring position with nobody out, the runner was called out for leaving first base early.
• The miscue on the bases by the Big Red proved costly as after a dropped ball in foul territory extended the at bat, Clara Wolff delivered a double down the left field line to get herself into scoring position with one out.
• Then on a groundball to third base on the next at bat, another base running error haunted the Big Red as Wolff was tagged out going to third for out number two before a swinging strikeout ended the game one batter later.
• Gonzalez finished 4-for-4 with three RBI's, two runs scored, a home run, a double and a walk.

Next Up: Denison will battle the winner between Ohio Wesleyan and top-seeded DePauw University at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, with the winner slated to face Hiram in the championship game starting at approximately 1:30 p.m.