SALEM, Va.—University of Southern Indiana Softball saw a two-run lead slip away as No. 10 University of West Florida rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning to hand the No. 9 Screaming Eagles a 4-3 setback in the elimination bracket of the NCAA Division II Softball Championship Series Friday night.
 
USI ends the year with a 46-14 overall record and its first-ever NCAA II Midwest Region championship.
 
After falling in a 1-0 hole, the Eagles erupted for three runs in the last half of the fourth inning to take a 3-1 advantage. Junior first baseman Marleah Fossett (Brownsburg, Indiana), who was 3-of-4 in the contest, opened the inning with her second base hit of the contest.
 
Senior catcher Haley Hodges (Portage, Indiana), who ended her career as USI's all-time leader in home runs (44) and RBIs (174), reached base on a fielding error after laying down a sacrifice bunt to put runners at first and second with no outs.
 
After another sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with one out, junior third baseman Mena Fulton (Bloomington, Indiana) laced an RBI-single into the left-centerfield gap to tie the score at 1-1. An RBI-groundout by freshman pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead; while an RBI-single by junior outfielder Olivia Clark-Kittleson (Carbondale, Illinois) gave USI a comfortable two-run advantage.
 
After a lengthy delay due to a change in the home plate umpire—the original plate umpire was unable to continue the game after getting dirt in his eye—the two teams traded scoreless frames in the sixth inning.
 
West Florida (46-14), however, struck for three runs off five hits in the seventh inning to retake the lead. USI went down in order in the last half of the seventh as Fossett was robbed of a two-out base hit by a leaping Meghan Toney at second base.
 
Leonhardt (29-4) suffered the loss after giving up four runs off eight hits in seven innings of work. The Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year ended her season with a single-season school-record 29 victories.
 
In addition to Hodges, senior shortstop Lexi Reese (Lebanon, Indiana), senior outfielders Alisha Ludwig (Terre Haute, Indiana) and Grace Clark (Indianapolis, Indiana), and senior infielder Sadie Foster (Plainfield, Indiana) suited up for the final time in a USI uniform Friday night. The Eagles' seniors helped USI to a 142-69 record and three straight NCAA II Tournament appearances during their four-year careers.