Box Score SYLVANIA, Ohio - The second-seeded Madonna University softball team dropped its first game of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament, an 8-5 loss to Aquinas, at Pacesetter Park on Thursday afternoon and will have to beat Concordia University (Mich.) to earn a trip to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. 

The winner of the consolation championship, between Madonna and Concordia, will earn the WHAC's second automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship and face Aquinas in the WHAC tournament championship. The Cardinals and Crusaders will square off at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 7 at Pacesetter Park with the championship game slated for 1 p.m.

Aquinas took the momentum early as the top-seeded Saints scored two runs in the first and two in the third for a 4-0 lead. The Crusaders' offense struggled until the fourth when Brooke Garbarino and Makayla Bassage reached with one out and Amy Clegg singled to right for MU's first run. Then in the fifth, Kattie Popko and Brooklyn Dolloff singled before Selena Deault tripled into the right field corner to cut the deficit to one. Bailey Martin-Brown followed with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to tie the score. 

Unfortunately for the Blue and Gold Aquinas scored a run on two hits in the bottom of the fifth and three in the sixth to take an 8-4 lead. Madonna threatened in the seventh as Robin Sprys walked, Makayla Bassage reached on an error and Clegg singled up the middle for another MU tally, but a strikeout ended the game.

Popko paced the Crusaders' 10-hit attack with a 3-for-3 game and a run scored while Clegg when 2-for-4 with an RBI. Five other Crusaders recorded a hit in the game. Madisen Henry started an allowed four runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts over 2.1 innings while Ciera Jones (7-1) suffered her first loss of the season as she allowed three runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts over 2.2 innings. Alyssa Fessenden finished the game and allowed a run on two hits with a walk. 

The Crusaders fall to 28-7 on the year and face the Cardinals whom they split with earlier this season. Aquinas moved to 28-9 on the season and will await the winner. 

Live coverage of the games will be available at mucrusaders.com/WHACSBTournament.

CONNECT WITH THE CRUSADERS: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
SUBSCRIBE/DOWNLOAD TEAM SCHEDULES: Download Center
DOWNLOAD THE NEW MOBILE APP: Google Play | iOS