GREENCASTLE, Ind. (May 9, 2024) – After claiming sole possession of second place in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings during the regular season, the second-seeded Denison University softball team fell 3-0 in the first game of the NCAC Tournament against third-seeded Hiram College before defeating fourth-seeded Wittenberg University by an equal score of 3-0 in the first elimination game.
 
Game 1 (Denison 0, Hiram 3):

• Brooke Surbaugh (10-7) got two straight flyouts to start the game before one got out over the fence in left field for a solo home run and the first run of the game in the top of the first inning.
• A leadoff walk by Indy Workman and then a hit by pitch by Annabelle Calderon put two runners on base with two outs for Denison in the bottom of the first, but a swinging strikeout ended that threat.
• Workman walked again with one out in the third inning, but a double play ended that inning.
• Surbaugh allowed just two hits and got eight flyouts through the first four innings, and then after a leadoff walk by Alessandra Groome in the bottom of the fourth, Surbaugh came up and delivered a one-out single up the middle for Denison's first hit of the game.
• That put two runners on base with one out, and then with two outs, Jacqui Abogado sent one out toward the warning track in left field, but it was caught to again strand two runners on base.
• In the top of the fifth, a sacrifice bunt put a runner into scoring position with two outs for Hiram, and then an error at shortstop allowed one run to score and ultimately led to a two-run inning after an RBI-double to left center to make it a 3-0 Terriers' lead.
• A two-out single down the left field line by Workman in the bottom of the fifth did not lead to anything for the Big Red, who went down 1-2-3 inning in the sixth inning.
• In the bottom of the seventh, a two-out pinch-hit single through the right side on a full count by Emerson Seevers kept the game going, but just for one more batter as Darian Kanno (11-7) finished with her sixth strikeout of the game.
• Denison finished game one with three hits against Kanno in the shutout.
• Surbaugh finished with 4.2 innings pitched allowing five hits, three total runs and just one earned run, and did not walk anyone.
• Workman reached base in all three of her plate appearances, drawing two walks and adding a single.

 
Game 2 (Denison 3, Wittenberg 0):

• Sydney Silverstein (12-3) pitched a 1-2-3 second inning and stranded a runner on third base in the top of the third.
• Denison got onto the scoreboard with a solo home run to center field by Calderon with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. It was Calderon's 12th home run of the season, extending her single-season program record, and was the 24th home run of her career, bringing her to within just one home run of tying Denison's career record.
• Silverstein pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth, and then with two runners in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Jordyn Maurer delivered a two-run triple to make it 3-0 heading into the final two innings.
• Silverstein followed with her third 1-2-3 inning of the game in the top of the sixth and after a leadoff single in the seventh, recorded three straight outs to earn her fifth shutout and 10th complete game of the year.
• Silverstein finished with just three hits allowed and did not issue a single walk.
• Calderon and Surbaugh were both 2-for-3 offensively.

Next Up: Denison will battle top-seeded DePauw University at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 10, with the winner slated to face Hiram in the championship game starting at approximately 1:30 p.m.