Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

GAME ONE BOX | GAME TWO BOX

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team forced the "if necessary" game, taking down the National Softball Invitational Championship undefeated, Towson University, in two come-from-behind wins to take the NISC Regional Championship. EKU won by scores of 5-4 and 9-2.

EKU (44-19) trailed Towson (42-19) 4-2 in game one headed into the bottom of the seventh, but Johnkyria Alston laced a two-run shot to left field to tie it up and send the contest into extra innings.

Mollie Paulick kept the Tigers at bay in the top frame of the eighth. In the final frame, Destinee Lizzmore launched the first pitch she saw over the left field wall for a walk-off solo homer to seal the 5-4 victory.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead early on, plating one on a Brook Miko sacrifice fly and a second after a Nicole Stockinger single in the first stanza.

The Colonels put together two runs on two hits in the bottom frame of the third to tie it up. The rally started after Paige Murphy was hit by a pitch. Back-to-back singles from Hannah Clark and Emily Corbitt loaded the bases. Alston reached on a fielder's choice, but collected a RBI to draw within one, 2-1.

Zoe Mihalicz capped the inning with a single through the left side to push Clark across and tie it up, 2-2.

Miko walked to open the fourth and Stockinger cleared the bases with a home run to left center to regain the lead and add a two-run cushion, making it 4-2.

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Towson went on top early again in game two, plating a run in both the first and second innings to make it 2-0.

After a lengthy weather delay at the beginning of the fourth inning the tempo changed.

The Colonel bats came alive in the fifth, after a trio of walks to Lizzmore, Murphy and Corbitt juiced the bases. Alston came up big again, notching a two-RBI double to the wall to tie it at 2-2. Another two-bagger, this time from Mihalicz, plated two more as EKU claimed a 4-2 advantage. Brooke Harrison singled to cap the five-run inning as Eastern extended its lead to three, 5-2.

In the sixth frame, Lizzmore and Murphy singled followed by a free pass issued to Clark to again load the bases. This time it was Corbitt collecting RBIs as she slugged a grand slam just fair to blow open the game, 9-2.

The Tigers were unable to recover as Eastern Kentucky clinched the regional championship.

Murphy McRoberts went five innings, giving up just one earned run to hold the Tigers at a stand-still.

The squads 44 season wins sets a new program record, previously held by the 2004 team that collected 42.

Murphy, Alston, McRoberts and Lizzmore each were named to the NISC All-Regional Team while Clark garnered most valuable player honors.

The Colonels will now hit the road for Los Angeles, California next Wednesday through Friday as they participate in the NISC Championship hosted by Loyola Marymount. EKU will take on UC Riverside (36-22) at 4:30 p.m. eastern time.  

SCHEDULE

Thursday

Towson 3, Austin Peay 0

Eastern Kentucky 6, Toledo 3

Friday

Toledo 3, Austin Peay 0

Towson 4, Eastern Kentucky 3

Eastern Kentucky 8, Toledo 0

Saturday

Eastern Kentucky 5, Towson 4

Eastern Kentucky 9, Towson 2