SYLVANIA, Ohio - The Madonna University softball team, seeded second in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Softball Tournament, needed to come from behind in game one and a walk-off hit in game two to remain unbeaten at Pacesetter Park on Wednesday evening. 

The Blue and Gold overcame a three-run deficit in a 4-3 win over Lawrence Technological University then needed a walk-off single from WHAC All-Defensive shortstop Amy Clegg in the eighth inning of game two for a 4-3 win over the University of Northwestern Ohio. The wins keep the Crusaders in the winner's bracket, one win away from playing for their first tournament title since 2012. Madonna will face top-seeded Aquinas College on Friday at 12:30 p.m.  
 

And here's the walk-off winner from @amyclegg_ #CrusaderNation pic.twitter.com/mVL3CwsN5f

— Madonna Softball (@MUCrusadersSB) May 6, 2021

In game one it was the Blue Devils who scored first as an MU miscue led to an unearned tally in the third and another error added one of two runs in the fifth. The offense finally broke through in the sixth with a four-run rally for the win. 

WHAC First-Team All-Conference selection Emily Pawelski ignited the rally with a one-out double, WHAC second-team honoree Brooklyn Dolloff singled and Jenna Gilbert and Bailey Martin-Brown drew back-to-back two-out walks for MU's first run. Clegg then delivered the first of her two big hits on the day, a two-run single to right to tie the game. Veronica Pezzoni, who went 4-for-4 in the win and is a First-Team All-Conference outfielder, singled up the middle for the 4-3 win. 

The Blue and Gold collected seven hits in the game, four from Pezzoni at the top of the order. Freshman Maeson Schluad earned her seventh win of the season as she allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits and one walk. She struck out 11 over seven innings. 
 

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS: Hear from @Pezzoni_v (7-for-8, GW RBI), @amyclegg_ (gm typing 1b, walk-off 1b), @Maesonschlaud35 (2 wins, 1 earned run, 15 K)#CrusaderNation https://t.co/b6OKvgXltP pic.twitter.com/lr8lK3V1E0

— Madonna Softball (@MUCrusadersSB) May 6, 2021

Pezzoni and Clegg were the story again in game two as the pair combined to go 5-for-8 with three runs scored and an RBI. The Crusaders got on the board first in the third as Pawelski doubled home Pezzoni and Clegg for a 2-0 margin. Pezzoni scored again in the fifth on a groundout by Kattie Popko, the WHAC Player of the Year, before a pair of home runs in the sixth by the Racers evened the score. 

The teams went to extra innings, but it didn't take long before MU walked off. A Racers error off the bat of Brooklyn Dolloff got things going for MU and a sacrifice and Selena Dault single put runners at the corners. With two on and two outs, Amy Clegg stepped up and delivered a base hit to centerfield for the 4-3 victory. 

Schlaud earned her eighth win of the season with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief as she allowed two hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Madisen Henry, named WHAC Pitcher of the Year, pitched well as she allowed three runs on five hits with five strikeouts over 5.1 innings. 

Pezzoni finished 3-for-4 to pace the eight-hit MU attack as she scored twice. Deault and Clegg each finished 2-for-4 while Pawelski's two-run single was the only other hit for the Crusaders. 

We also caught up with HC Jerry Abraham to talk about his teams resilience and the performance of Clegg and Schlaud.#CrusaderNation pic.twitter.com/QryQP6m6Rr

— Madonna Softball (@MUCrusadersSB) May 6, 2021

Madonna looks to advance to the programs first WHAC tournament championship game since 2017 when MU lost both championship games to top-seed Davenport University (Mich.). The Crusaders will face Aquinas at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow on field five at Pacesetter Park in Sylvania, Ohio. Fans who can't attend the game can catch all the action live at mucrusaders.com/WHACSBTournament.

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