In their first game of the day against No. 6 seed Point Park (Pa.) University, the No. 5 seed Lady Cougars (25-19) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning when sophomore shortstop Tasha Konkle doubled to drive in junior outfielder Whitney Clark, who had reached on an error, to give MVNU a 1-0 lead.

The score stayed that way until the top of the sixth inning as MVNU junior right-hander Candace White and lefty Katie Tripp for the Lady Pioneers (17-20) were both on top of their game in the pitchers’ duel.

In the top of the sixth inning, Point Park was able to push across the tying run to knot the score at 1-1 as the Lady Pioneers took advantage of two errors and a walk to score an unearned run with just one hit in the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lady Cougars returned the favor to win in dramatic fashion. With one out, junior third baseman Karly Clay singled to rightfield and moved to second when the ball was misplayed. A pinch-hit single by sophomore Michelle Gastin put runners at first and third with just one out, but Konkle fouled out to the catcher for the second out. However, freshman second baseman Kristin Kurelic (left) reached base safely and plated freshman pinch runner Amanda Montgomery with the winning run when her hard ground ball to shortstop was misplayed to give MVNU a 2-1 victory.

White (12-11) picked up the win as she allowed just five hits, one walk, and one unearned run over seven innings with five strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Tripp suffered the loss as she scattered eight hits, one walk, and two unearned runs over 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts.

Kurelic and Clay (right) both had two hits apiece to lead the Lady Cougars’ offensive attack, while Konkle and junior first baseman Kylie Rupert both doubled. Christie Schroeder had two of Point Park’s five hits and Lauren Miller added a double.

With the win, MVNU advanced in the loser’s bracket to face No. 2 seed University of Rio Grande. The Redwomen (27-17), who earned a share of the American Mideast Conference South Division regular-season title, had eliminated No. 4 seed Ohio Dominican University 4-0 earlier on Thursday.

Rio Grande got off to a big start in the bottom of the first inning when Leah Hamman and Mimi Mahon both reached on one-out singles and then came around to score when Whitney Harless blasted a three-run homer with two outs to give the Redwomen the early 3-0 lead.

However, after the first inning, senior right-handed pitcher Kristin Eyerman (13-7) settled down to allow just three hits the rest of the way - one in the second inning, one in the third inning, and one in the sixth inning - as she gave the Lady Cougars a chance to get back in the game.

The comeback started in the top of the fourth inning when with one out Kurelic and sophomore outfielder Leslie Banichar recorded back-to-back singles. One out later, sophomore catcher Caitlin Murphy ripped a two-run triple to close the gap to 3-2. Then, sophomore outfielder Lauretta Wallace followed with an RBI-single to knot the score at 3-3.

In the top of the sixth inning, MVNU completed its comeback as Banichar led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore designated player Staci Graham. After Murphy walked to put runners at first and second, Wallace flied out to leftfield for the second out of the inning.

That set the stage for Gastin (left) in another pinch-hit role - her third in three games in the NAIA Region IX Tournament. After being out of action since March 26 due to an injury, Gastin had already reached on a hit batsman and a single in her two previous pinch-hit appearances. This time, she recorded what would prove to be the game-winning single as she drove in Banichar to put the Lady Cougars on top 4-3.

That was all the run support that Eyerman needed as she took care of the Rio Grande hitters from there to complete the impressive comeback victory and end the Redwomen’s season. In seven innings of work, Eyerman allowed just six hits, two walks, and three runs with five strikeouts to match her career high with 13 wins this season and earn the 44th victory over her career.

Miranda Laws took the loss for Rio Grande as she gave up seven hits, two walks, and four runs over seven innings with five strikeouts.

Offensively, Banichar went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Murphy drove in two runs with her triple. Meanwhile, Mahon led the Redwomen with a pair of hits, and Harless had all three RBI with the first-inning home run.

The Lady Cougars, who had never won a game in NAIA regional play in the program’s history prior to Thursday, will look to continue their run towards a possible NAIA National Tournament berth when MVNU squares off with No. 3 seed Notre Dame College (31-11) in the loser’s bracket championship game at 10:00 a.m. on Friday. The winner of that game would then have to beat No. 1 seed Walsh University (32-10) twice in order to win the NAIA Region IX title. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic berth in the NAIA National Tournament on May 16-21 in Decatur, Ala.