Softball brings home first SLIAC title since 2018
The softball team defeated Fontbonne in a winner-takes-all game on Saturday afternoon to bring home the SLIAC championship title. Fontbonne took game one 3-1 and forced a game two. However, Greenville flipped the script in game two to beat the Griffins 3-1.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fontbonne | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
| Greenville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| Fontbonne | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Team Stats
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The softball team defeated Fontbonne in a winner-takes-all game on Saturday afternoon to bring home the SLIAC championship title. Fontbonne took game one 3-1 and forced a game two. However, Greenville flipped the script in game two to beat the Griffins 3-1.
In game one, Fontbonne scored early in the first to gain a 1-0 lead and tacked two more on in the fourth inning. The Panthers responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth but were unable to take the lead.
Emma Williams had an infield single that scored Natalee Moore. Williams went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Sydnee Garrett faced the Griffins again in the circle in game one. Garrett pitched through the fourth inning, striking out one batter. Sarah Salas relieved her in the fifth inning, holding Fontbonne to no hits or runs with four strikeouts.
The second game had a different narrative for the Panthers. This time, Greenville gained an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Madi Case scored on a single from Valerie Greenley. Fontbonne tied it up in the second inning, but GU scored a run in the fifth inning and added an insurance run in the top of the seventh.
In the fifth inning, Case hit in Josie Grunloh to take the lead, and Garrett doubled in Case to score the third run in the seventh.
The Panthers only let up four hits in game two. Salas pitched almost an entire game, throwing 6.1 innings and only allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Melissa Bernal came in to pitch during the seventh inning and threw to three batters to get the last two outs.
After recording the last out, the Panthers became the 2024 SLIAC champions! Greenville softball has not held that title since 2018, so congratulations to the Panthers.
The Panthers (34-8) will advance to the national tournament. Their next matchup will be determined on Monday during the NCAA selection show at 10:00 a.m.