Racers Open WHAC Tournament with Walk Off Win in Extras

LIVONIA, MI - The WHAC Tournament started with a bang for UNOH softball Friday afternoon rallying to erase a three-run deficit and force extra innings to stay alive against Cornerstone. The Racers finished the job in the first overtime frame walking off a 4-3 victory and advancing to Saturday in the winners side of the bracket.

All three runs for the Golden Eagles came in the top of the third as they took advantage of a lead off walk that turned into the biggest inning of the game. It took until the fifth for UNOH to get on the board jumping on an opportunity created by an error on the first batter of the inning. That runner worked around to third with a ground out and a single and was joined by another on second after a stolen base. Freshman Morgan Piotrovsky came up big in the moment driving in both with a single to left that finally cut into the lead. 

After a hit batter, a walk and a fielder's choice, Brenna Cobb tied the game in her team's final at bat hitting a sacrifice fly to the deepest part of the field that forced an extra frame. A lead off walk proved costly in the eighth despite a sac bunt and a fly out on the next two batters putting Cornerstone one out away from sending the game into the ninth. The final blow was throw by sophomore Athena Schwartz who picked the perfect time to rip her second double of the season that scored Hailee Edgell from second for the walk off win.

Lanie Wooten (14-13) allowed just one earned run on six hits over her eight complete innings issuing five free passes and striking out one. The sophomore slinger is now 5-0 in conference tournament games during her career.

The top seeded No. 3 Madonna Crusaders took care of business against eight-seed Aquinas, 6-2, setting up a rematch from last year's semifinal against UNOH tomorrow, April 25. The two teams split their regular season matchup with the Crusaders taking game one 9-0 and the Racers swiping game two 3-2. The winner will advance to the pod championship on Sunday with the loser playing a second game against Cornerstone who defeated Aquinas 15-5 in the first elimination game Friday.