GREENCASTLE, Ind. (May 14, 2023) – The third-seeded Denison University softball team's 2023 season came to a close following a 4-0 loss to top-seeded DePauw University in the first game on Sunday morning at the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

DePauw's Megan Asher (12-9) limited the Big Red to six hits and no walks while also striking out nine and recording the complete game shutout.

For Denison, Brooke Surbaugh (7-10) allowed nine hits, four runs and one walk while pitching the eighth complete game of her freshman season.

Offensively for the Big Red, senior Maggie Ballentine led with a 2-for-4 effort and one double.

Denison was unable to do anything with a leadoff single to center field by Ballentine in the top of the first inning while DePauw started off its half of the first with three straight singles to load the bases.

Then after the Big Red were unable to record an out on a rundown between second and third base after a foul out to the right fielder Clara Wolff, the Tigers got on the scoreboard with an RBI-groundout to first base one batter later.

In the third inning, Denison stranded a runner in scoring position after Brianna Gonzalez led off with a single through the left side and stole second base with two outs; and then a two-out single to right field by Annabelle Calderon led to nothing in the top of the fourth inning.

DePauw, meanwhile, led off its half of the fourth inning with a bunt single before a sacrifice bunt followed by a single to right field to put runners at the corners with one out. That was followed by an RBI-groundout to first base before a two-out RBI-single to right field made it a 3-0 Tigers' lead.

A solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning made it 4-0 Tigers before Denison led off the top of the sixth inning with a double to left field by Ballentine.

However, Ballentine was ultimately stranded on third base before a leadoff single down the left field line by Indy Workman in the seventh inning. Then with one out in the seventh, Alessandra Groome followed with a single to right field to put two runners on base for the first time in the game for the Big Red.

With two outs and a 2-2 count, Wolff was clipped by the pitch to load the bases for Ballentine.

Unfortunately, a flyout to right field was all she wrote for Denison's season.

Denison ends its season at 18-17 overall after tying for second place in the NCAC regular-season standings and earning the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament for the second year in a row. It was Denison's best regular-season finish in the conference since also tying for second in 2018.

Following the tournament, Gonzalez and Surbaugh were named to the all-tournament team for Denison. Gonzalez was 5-for-10 (.500) for the tournament with three RBI's, two runs scored, two stolen bases, a home run and a walk. Surbaugh had two hits, two runs, two walks and a home run at the plate, and made three appearances in the circle spanning 18.1 innings in which she picked up one win, pitched two complete games and one shutout, and struck out 13 batters compared to just four walks.