UNOH Run-Rules No. 9 Madonna to Advance to WHAC Finals

LIVONIA, MI - UNOH softball muscled their way past the No. 9 team in the country Friday to earn the program's first trip to the WHAC Tournament finals since 2018. The Racers handed Madonna their first defeat since March 19 and first loss versus a WHAC opponent since April 27, 2023. The victory was the program's first win over a top ten team since 2017 (#7 Davenport) in dominating fashion run-ruling the Crusaders 11-3 in six innings. It is the program's biggest win over a ranked opponent since 2020 (#11 Indiana Wesleyan - 10-2) and sets a new single season wins mark at 34-16. It was also Madonna's first time being run-ruled in any game since April 2, 2022.

Madonna got on the board first with a single run in the first inning, but it was all UNOH the rest of the game. The Racers opened their scoring with a sac fly in the third scoring two more with a single and a double steal in the frame. The Crusaders added a run in the bottom of the inning but a three run bomb from Anna Ankney in the fourth made it a 6-2 game. UNOH combined two walks, two doubles and a single with a RBI ground out and an error in the sixth to blow the game open with a five-run frame. They worked around a one-out double in the home half of the inning forcing three ground outs to finish off the win.

It was a stellar performance from Anna Ankney that led the way offensively as she hit for the cycle for the first time in her career going 4-4 with three RBI. Hailee Edgell also drove in three hitting a single and a double for a 2-4 outing. Sydney Shaffer logged her own multi-hit game finishing 2-4 with one RBI.

Lanie Wooten (22-7) was exceptional in the circle for the Racers pitching five and two-thirds innings allowing two runs on just three hits with four walks and two strikeouts.

The win keeps UNOH unbeaten in the WHAC Tournament and puts them in the driver's seat for a bid to the national tournament. The Racers will now face the winner of Madonna and Cornerstone who play at 11:00 AM on Monday, May 5. If their opponent is Madonna, UNOH will earn the automatic bid to the opening round of the national tournament regardless of their own result. Without a loss in the double-elimination tournament, either team would have to beat the Racers twice on Monday to win the tournament title.