COLUMBUS, GA. – No. 1 Madonna softball continued its impressive run through the NAIA World Series on Monday evening, defeating No. 4 University of Mobile 5–2 at the South Commons Softball Complex to earn the program's 50th victory of the season.
The milestone win pushed the Crusaders to 50–4 overall as Madonna used timely hitting, strong pitching, and clean defense to knock off another top-five opponent on the national stage.
After both teams traded scoreless innings early, the Crusaders broke through in the bottom of the third inning.
Faith Peschke started the rally with a single before
Ashley Rosiewicz stepped to the plate and delivered once again in a big moment. The senior shortstop launched a two-run home run to left field, giving Madonna a 2–0 lead and energizing the Crusaders dugout.
The Madonna pitching staff took over from there.
Camille Oyer was dominant in the circle, keeping the powerful Mobile lineup off balance throughout her outing. The sophomore worked four scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and improving to a perfect 23–0 on the season. Oyer consistently induced weak contact and navigated around traffic to preserve the lead before handing the ball over to
Anna Battagin in relief.
The Crusaders added crucial insurance runs in the fifth inning.
Chelsea Weatherford opened the frame with a single before pinch runner
Lucy Bennin stole second base to move into scoring position.
Regan Finkbeiner followed with an RBI single through the left side to make it 3–0.
Moments later, Rosiewicz continued her outstanding night with another base hit to put runners on the corners before
Brynn Anteau lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home another run. Madonna added one more after a Mobile fielding error allowed Rosiewicz to score and extend the advantage to 5–0.
Rosiewicz led the offense with a huge performance, going 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Finkbeiner added a hit and an RBI, while Weatherford,
Jessica Dunkel, Fitzpatrick, and Peschke each recorded hits as Madonna totaled seven on the night.
Mobile attempted a late rally in the seventh inning, scoring two runs on a double and an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5–2. However, Battagin settled in and recorded the final out to secure the save and send the Crusaders to their 50th win of the year.
Defensively, Madonna played a clean game without committing an error and made several key plays behind its pitching staff to limit Mobile's opportunities.
With the victory, the Crusaders continue advancing through the NAIA World Series bracket and remain one of the hottest teams in the country. The 50-win milestone adds another accomplishment to an already historic season as Madonna continues its pursuit of a national championship.
The Crusaders will play tomorrow, Tuesday, May 26th when they take on #2 Southeastern University at 12:00 PM.
