GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—The Fire needed their bats to stay hot to advance to the NAIA World Series for the first time in program history.
Twelve hits and nine runs later, the Fire were hoisting the hardware with a 9-0 win over Indiana Wesleyan to claim the Davenport Bracket and earn a trip to Sioux City, Iowa for the 10-team double-elimination tournament.
"From Day 1, we knew exactly what we wanted to build and exactly who we wanted to be, so we're so happy to finally get there," said coach
Anna Welsh.
The play of junior
Cat Maldonado was a major boost to the top seeded Fire (42-14), totaling seven RBIs in a 3-for-4 effort with a run scored. Her double down the left field line, just inches in fair territory broke a scoreless tie in the fourth.
"Cat has been hitting well in practice and it was great to see her finally do what she's capable of doing, which raised her confidence level," said Welsh.
The next inning, Maldonado broke the game open with a two-out, three-run homer over the left field wall during a five-run fifth to give the Fire a 7-0 lead. The Fire also got a run on an RBI double by
Brittany LaCasse, who finished the game 3-for-3, and an RBI single by
Anna Martin.
Maldonado then came on in relief of starting pitcher
Lindsie Scholwinski, who allowed just three hits and struck out five during her five innings of work. Maldonado threw two perfect innings in relief to close out the contest.
"Lindsie was great today, her curve ball was moving like it can, and she shut them down," said Welsh. "There's
been so many games where she has had to pitch in 0-0 or 1-0 ball games, so it was nice to give her some run support."
Brandee Pietrzak and
Bri Girardin each added two hits to the winning effort.
"It's all about peaking at the right time," said Welsh. "It's a team that's hot and a team that's there at the right time- we have our pitching, hitting, and defense all there together."
