两性色午夜 University senior tossed a three-hitter and hit a two-run homer in the first inning to lead No. 4 两性色午夜 past No. 2 Ohio, 3-0, in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament Championship game. The performance by Ladines capped a sensational week in which she earned MAC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
两性色午夜 (32-26) accomplished the improbable, winning three games on Saturday, May 13, to capture its third MAC Tournament crown and first since 2008. The 两性色午夜 Golden Flashes started the day by beating No. 3 Northern Illinois, 9-3, in a game that started at 10:30 a.m. before taking down the Bobcats in back-to-back games.
鈥淚鈥檓 so incredibly proud of this team for putting last night behind them and getting the job done today,鈥 said head coach . 鈥淚t started with people believing, and there weren鈥檛 many outside of our dugout that believed we could win three games today. Ronnie, Maddy [Grimm], Holly [Speers] and [Emily] Dobbin were great for us all week, but it was great to have players like , and really stepped up today. Madi made me look like a genius for throwing her, and we don鈥檛 win this without her incredible performance.鈥
Sophomore Brancifort cleared the fence in left field to give the Flashes the lead in the bottom of the first. After a two-out walk drawn by junior , Ladines launched her fourth home run of the tournament to make it a 3-0 game.
That was all the offensive support needed for Ladines (19-14), who retired seven batters she after allowing a leadoff double to start the game.
Junior made the defensive play of the tournament, from Ohio鈥檚 Morgan Geno to start the fourth inning.
Ladines totaled six strikeouts and walked just one batter to earn her fourth victory of the tournament. The native of Arlington, Washington, also led the Flashes at the plate with a .529 batting average (9-for-17), two doubles, four home runs, seven RBIs and four walks.
Senior and juniors Dobbin and Speers joined Ladines on the MAC All-Tournament Team.
, for NCAA Regional action, facing Baylor University on Friday, May 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Getterman Stadium. Every game played in the Waco Regional will be streamed on , and all 两性色午夜's games can be heard live on .