With a 4-1 win over the College of Saint Benedict (Minnesota) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament at the UW-Oshkosh Softball Park May 16, the UW Oshkosh softball team reached 40 wins for the first time in program history.
The Titans (40-4) now sit third in WIAC history with wins in a single season, just three games behind the conference leader, UW-Whitewater in 1998. Their previous record mark was 36 games in the 2023 season.
After concluding the regular season with 12-2 record for their fifth Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season crown and a second-place finish in the league tournament, the Titans qualified for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid and were selected to host a regional. They faced the Bennies (24-18) in the first round on Thursday.
Sydney Nemetz started in the circle for Oshkosh, going all seven innings. She struck out five batters while allowing a run on five hits.
Oshkosh recorded their nation-leading 25th double play and Hannah Ritter got an unassisted out to keep Saint Benedict off the board in the top of the first inning. Sydney Rau walked to lead off the bottom of the inning before play stopped for 35 minutes due to heavy rain. The delay didn’t put a damper on the Titans however, as they scored two runs on a bases loaded Abby Garceau singled up the middle.
Ritter pushed Oshkosh’s edge to 3-0 in the second inning with a single through the left side, plating Morgan Miller who walked.
The Bennies put runners on base with a double and single in the third inning. They scored their only run of the day when the runner on first base was caught in a pickle and the runner on third ran home.
In the bottom of the third inning, Sophie Wery doubled down the left field line to lead off and advanced to third as Morgan Rau flew out to center field. Garceau notched her third RBI of the day with a double of her own to right center.
The Titans will face Illinois Wesleyan University (31-10) on Friday (May 17) at 11 a.m. in the winner’s bracket of the Oshkosh Regional. The Titans from Illinois defeated Wartburg College (Iowa) 4-1 in the second game of the day.
