Preparing for the 2024 Season With a Look Back at 2023 (MAC, MEAC, MVC, Mountain West, Northeast)

The start of the softball season at the Division I level is just over two months away.

Extra Inning Softball is providing a look forward to the 2024 season by first providing a final look back on the 2023 season.

This is the third of a five-part series featuring the Mid-American Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Mountain West Conference and the Northeast Conference.

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Mid-American Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-Mid-American Conference: Brooke Sivek (Akron), McKayla Timmons (Ball State), Haley Wynn (Ball State), Grace Lehto (Central Michigan), Riley Coyne (Miami), Allie Cummins (Miami), Jenna Golembiewski (Miami), Brianna Pratt (Miami), Karli Spaid (Miami), Kelly Walinski (Northern Illinois), Danielle Stewart (Northern Illinois), Yasmine Logan (Ohio), Skipp Miller (Ohio), Annalia Paoli (Ohio), Riley Mohr (Toledo)

Mid-American Conference Tournament:

Game 1 – N0. 2 Ohio 2, No. 3 Central Michigan 0
Game 2 – No. 1 Miami 8, No. 4 Ball State 4
Game 3 – No. 3 Central Michigan 4, No. 4 Ball State 1
Game 4 – No. 1 Miami 8, No. 2 Ohio 4
Game 5 – No. 2 Ohio 7, No. 3 Central Michigan 2
Game 6 – No. 1 Miami 6, No. 2 Ohio 2

OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University softball team repeated as MAC Tournament champions on Saturday afternoon, topping Ohio 6-2 in the event’s championship game. The RedHawks went undefeated through the bracket and this victory was Brianna Pratt’s 30th win of the season. The win takes Miami to 37-18 on the season and gives the Bobcats a final record of 32-23.

It was the RedHawks who struck first in the championship game, taking a 1-0 lead when Holly Blaska hit an RBI double down the right field line to score Allie Cummins. Riley Coyne then hit a sac fly that scored Blaska and doubled the lead to 2-0.

After a phenomenal at-bat by Maddi Banks in the bottom of the second inning, where she fought off nine pitches, she hit an RBI single that brought home Kate Kobayashi to make it a 3-0 game. Cummins then followed that up with a long sac fly that scored Adriana Barlow to increase the lead to 4-0. The RedHawks weren’t done yet though, as Blaska hit an RBI double off the left field wall to score Banks and put the score at 5-0.

In the top of the fourth, the Bobcats put up a fight, scoring two on a pair of RBI singles to cut the lead to 5-2. In the bottom of the fifth, the RedHawks added another run to the board to extend their lead to 6-2 when Kobayashi hit an RBI triple that scored Chloe Parks.

The RedHawks held down the lead through the end of the game to take the championship title 6-2.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): Miami (Ohio)

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Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Anaya Hunte (Morgan State), Cam Andersen (Norfolk State), Alyssa Vasquez (Howard), Takia Nichols (North Carolina Central), Brissa Alvarado (Coppin State), Kenna Higa (Norfolk State), Sidney Fletcher (Howard), Makiya Graves (North Carolina Central), Imara Harrell (North Carolina Central), Jaycee Holt (Maryland Eastern Shore), Yrral Davis (Norfolk State), Melissa Paz (Morgan State)

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament
Game 1 – No. 5 Coppin State 6, No. 4 Howard, 4
Game 2 – No. 3 North Carolina Central 2, No. 6 Maryland Eastern Shore 1
Game 3 – No. 5 Coppin State 2, No. 1 Morgan State 1
Game 4 – No. 3 North Carolina Central 7, No. 2 Norfolk State 4
Game 5 – No. 6 Maryland Eastern Shore 11, No. 1 Morgan State 7
Game 6 – No. 4 Howard 5, No. 2 Norfolk State 1
Game 7 – No. 3 North Carolina Central 10, No. 5 Coppin State 1
Game 8 – No. 4 Howard 5, No. 6 Maryland Eastern Shore 1
Game 9 – No. 5 Coppin State 3, No. 4 Howard 0
Game 10 – No. 5 Coppin State 6, No. 3 North Carolina Central 5
Game 11 – No. 3 North Carolina Central 6, No. 5 Coppin State 2

NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina Central claimed the program’s first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) softball championship with a 6-2 win over Coppin State in game two of the championship on Saturday at the NSU Softball Field.

With the win, the third-seeded Eagles earned the MEAC’s automatic bid into the 2023 NCAA Softball Tournament; they will find out where they play when the 64-team field is revealed on Sunday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Takia Nichols‘ home run to left center in the top of the second inning, and a sacrifice fly by Ivory Jones that scored Jaylah Barr, helped N.C. Central (19-33) get out to an early 2-0 lead. The Eagles added two more runs in the top of the fourth on a Coppin State error, then one more in the sixth on an RBI groundout from Barr.

In the seventh, Nichols got on base with a double, took third on a fielder’s choice, and later scored on strikeout to give N.C. Central its final run of the afternoon.

Coppin State scored a run in the third on a Celeste Gonzales double, then added another run in the seventh on a fielding error.

Coppin State (16-28) forced game two after holding on for a 6-5 win in game one of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship final. In the first game, the Eagles of Coppin State had a season-high 11 hits to go along with six stolen bases.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): North Carolina Central

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Missouri Valley Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference: Alexis Pupillo (UNI), Isabella Henning (Indiana State), Emme Olson (Illinois State), Brooke Snider (UNI), Jackie Lis (Southern Illinois), Mya Dodge (UNI), Elizabeth Warwick (Southern Illinois), Danielle Henning (Indiana State), Samantha Heyer (UNI), Hannah James (Murray State), Addison McElrath (UNI), McKenzie Vaughan (Missouri State), Dayna Kennedy (Illinois State), Annie Tokarek (Indiana State), Taylor Hogan (UNI), Madison Parks (UNI), Hannah Ross (Illinois State)

Missouri Valley Conference Tournament
Game 1 – No. 8 Drake 7, No. 9 Evansville 0
Game 2 – No. 5 Indiana State 4, No. 12 Valparaiso 1
Game 3 – No. 7 Belmont 2, No.10 Bradley 0
Game 4 – No. 6 Southern Illinois 2, No. 11 UIC 0
Game 5 – No. 1 UNI 6, No.8 Drake 2
Game 6 – No. 5 Indiana State 2, No. 4 Murray State 1
Game 7 – No. 7 Belmont 2, No. 2 Missouri State 1
Game 8 – No. 6 Southern Illinois 5, No. 3 Illinois State 1
Game 9 – No. 5 Indiana State 1, No.1 UNI 0
Game 10 – No. 6 Southern Illinois 4, No.7 Belmont 3
Game 11 – No. 6 Southern Illinois 10, No. 5 Indiana State 2

CARBONDALE, Ill. —  The Southern Illinois Salukis won the MVC Tournament Championship Saturday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium in front of its home crowd with a 10-2 win over the #5 seed Indiana State. It’s the Salukis third MVC Tournament trophy in the last seven years and fourth MVC tournament championship in school history (1991, 2017, 2021, 2023).

The Salukis automatic bid marks the 14th NCAA tournament appearance in program history.

“It speaks to the idea that the culture just continues here right,” said Jen Sewell following the win. “We don’t have to make a big change to create a championship environment. Kay [Brechtelsbaeur] did it, Kerri [Blaylock] did it and we really just want to continue what has been started for a long time here.”

A culture and tradition that Sewell has long been a part of since joining the program as an assistant under former head coach Kerri Blaylock 15 years ago. Sewell takes the Salukis to their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance since joining the program in 2008 (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023).

Although the Salukis have won multiple MVC Tournaments over the past several years, this one marked the first at Charlotte West Stadium for the Salukis, making it that much more special as the Dawgs had the support of Saluki nation backing them for all four games.

“That’s why I’ve always been here, stayed here, and was impressed when I played here as a visitor – they show up for everything and they give great energy, it doesn’t matter what sport. To build that kind of crowd around a softball program is incredible. I’m sure it’s impossible to play against, you probably almost feel overwhelmed but you have to love it as the home team. Charlotte West Stadium is so friendly to us and we’ve always appreciated that.”

After relying on its defense and pitching through the first three rounds, Southern Illinois’ bats got going early and often against the Sycamores. Tori Schullian started the rally with a two-run single through the middle with Indiana State defense being forced to play in with the bases loaded. The rally continued with three consecutive hits from Aubree Depron, Elizabeth Warwick and Jackie Lis as the Dawgs got out to a 5-0 lead after the first two innings.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): Southern Illinois

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Mountain West Conference

2023 Standings

First Team All-Mountain West Conference: Kelsey Hall (Boise State), Taylor Caudill (Boise State), Eliyah Flores (Boise State), Ashley York (Colorado State), Hailey Smith (Colorado State), Alesia Denby (Fresno State), Keahilele Mattson (Fresno State), Chelie Senini (Nevada), Ashley Archuleta (New Mexico), Rachael Hathoot (New Mexico), Mac Barbara (San Diego State), Allie Light (San Diego State), Makena Brocki (San Diego State), Jenessa Ullegue (San José State), Ariana Martinez (UNLV)

Mountain West Conference Tournament
Game 1 – No. 4 San Jose State 1, No. 5 Fresno State 0
Game 2 – No. 6 Nevada 11, No. 3 Colorado State 0
Game 3 – No. 4 San Jose State 6, No. 1 Boise State 4
Game 4 – No. 2 San Diego State 5, No. 6 Nevada 4
Game 5 – No. 2 San Diego State 7, No. 4 San Jose State 0
Game 6 – No. 1 Boise State 4, No. 6 Nevada 3 (8)
Game 7 – No. 4 San Jose State 2, No. 1 Boise State 1
Game 8 – No. 2 San Diego State 8, No. 4 San Jose State 0

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — San Diego State run-ruled San Jose State, 8-0, in five innings to capture its second straight Mountain West Championship Saturday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium. The second-seeded Aztecs (35-15), who went 3-0 in the first MW Tournament since 2006, earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with the victory.

It was the ninth MW championship overall for SDSU, but the first MW Tournament title. San Diego State had five runner-up finishes in the seven years the tournament was contested prior from 2000-06. The Aztecs also have a league-best eight regular-season championships.

A day after three SDSU pitchers combined on a five-hit, 7-0 shutout over the fourth-seeded Spartans (26-28), two San Diego State pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout in today’s championship game.

Sarah Lehman drew the start but got one out while walking the based loaded. Dee Dee Hernandez replaced Lehman in the top of the first inning and struck out Jessica Giacoma looking before getting Adrianna Noriega to ground into a fielder’s choice to shortstop Jillian Celis as the Aztecs escaped unscathed. Hernandez (8-3) allowed only one baserunner the rest of the way on a one-hit single by Giacoma in the fourth. Overall, Hernandez tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit and no walks allowed, while striking out three.

It was SDSU’s second one-hitter of the season (Lehman/Allie Light vs. Long Beach State on March 3) and 39th in recorded program history.

NCAA Postseason Team(s): San Diego State

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