Cal Poly 7, Pacific 0

STOCKTON, CA -- Cal Poly starting pitcher Sierra Hyland dominates Pacific hitters as the Mustangs take a 7-0 victory in the opening day of the Postseason NISC.  The win gives Hyland 80 career victories, she becomes just the seventh pitcher in Big West Conference history to hit this mark. 
 
Cal Poly added two runs in the first inning sparked with a hit by pitch, walk and a single by Chelsea Convissar to load the bases.  A walk and error brought in two runs. 
The Mustangs tacked on another run in the fifth and four in the sixth for a comfortable 7-0 lead. 
 
Hyland threw all seven innings striking out six batters and allowing four hits.  She has now recorded 940 career strike outs, a Big West Conference record.  
 
Hyland entered tonight's game having allowed only six earned runs in her last 39.1 inning while ranking sixth among NCAA Division I pitchers in ERA (1.03).  The Mustangs, who finished in a fifth-place tie in the Big West standings, entered the NISC ranked fourth among 291 Division I programs with a 1.27 ERA.
 
Cal Poly will face Nevada on Wednesday, May 17 at 4 p.m. PT.  Pacific falls to the loser's bracket and will meet UC Santa Barbara at 1 p.m. PT.
 

Nevada 6, UC Santa Barbara 5

STOCKTON, CA - Freshman Mele Tausinga led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a home run as Nevada came all the way back from a 5-0 deficit to slip past UC Santa Barbara.

Tausinga had two home runs on the day, and Kenzi Goins drove in two runs with a homer as well. Starting pitcher McKenna Isenberg moved to 17-12 on the year, allowing 11 hits and striking out five batters.

Sierra Altmeyer had two hits, including a home run, for UCSB. Melanie Menor also drove in two runs.

Nevada will play the winner between Cal Poly and Pacific in the upper half of the bracket Wednesday, while UCSB will play the other team.

Liberty 4, UNCW 0

​LYNCHBURG, VA - Liberty starting pitcher Chase Cassady muzzled the UNC-Wilmington offense with a three-hit complete game, striking out 12 batters as the regional host Flames moved on with a 4-0 win.

Deidra See had a home run and three RBI, and Autumn Bishop added two hits and an RBI for Liberty. Cassady moved to 6-7 on the year.

Hannah Adamczyk had two hits for UNCW.

Liberty will face Ohio in the winner's half of the double-elim bracket on Wednesday, while UNCW takes on Campbell in the loser's half

Georgia State 6, UT Martin 5

ATLANTA, GA - Megan Litumbe hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to put Georgia State ahead, and the Panthers held strong during UT Martin's late rally Tuesday to post the 6-5 win.

The Panthers got four RBI by Litumbe, with Remington Hasty also driving in two runs. Mandy Chance threw three innings of relief, allowing one run, to get the win.

UT Martin got a solo home run from Gracyn McBride in the seventh inning, and Carly Gonzalez drove in two runs with a home run.

Georgia State will play Kennesaw State in the upper half of the double-elim bracket Wednesday, while UT Martin takes on Alabama State.​

Lamar 7, UL Monroe 5

BEAUMONT, TX - Host Lamar built a five-run lead after scoring five times in the sixth inning and held off UL Monroe's seventh-inning rally to post a 7-5 victory in the first round of games Tuesday.

Sable Hankins had three hits for Lamar, scoring twice and driving in two runs. Kelly Meeuwsen and Corina Thornton also had two hits, while starting pitcher Ciara Luna scattered eight hits and struck out three batters.

UL Monroe scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, one on a double from Hunter Hogan, and had two runners on base before making the final out.

Lamar will face Abilene Christian in the winner's half of the double-elim bracket Wednesday, while UL Monroe takes on UT Arlington in the loser's half.
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Illinois State 5, IUPUI 4

NORMAL, IL - Illinois State scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh, the game-winner coming across on a sacrifice fly from Caitlyn Daly that scored Allison Spence to register a 5-4 victory.

The Cardinals scored two runs in the bottom of the second and went scoreless until the final rally. Riley Strandgard had two hits and drove in two runs, while starting pitcher Sarah Finck moved to 22-11 on the year.

IUPUI got three hits from Maggie Armstrong, including two doubles.

Illinois State will play Murray State in the winner's half of the double-elim bracket on Wednesday, while IUPUI takes on Michigan State in the loser's half.

​Weber State 19, Boise State 10

OGDEN, UT - Host Weber State used two big innings to outlast Boise State in the first round of games in Ogden, UT, on Tuesday with the Wildcats scoring six times in the fourth inning and seven more in the top of the seventh to post a 19-10 victory.

Weber State senior Sara Hingsberger scored four runs and had three hits, driving in two runs. Molly Horne also had three hits, including a home run, and she drove in six runs. The Wildcats had 19 hits and forced Boise State to use five different pitchers.

Boise State's Rebekah Cervantes had three hits, including a home run and a double; Cassidy Edwards had three hits as well, and the Broncos also pounded out 19 hits.

Weber State will face Utah State at 1 p.m. MT Wednesday in the upper half of the double-elim bracket. Boise State faces San Diego at 10 a.m. MT, with the winner advancing and the loser heading home.​

Utah State 8, San Diego 0

OGDEN, UT -- Utah State jumped out to an early cushion after a big second inning and never looked back. The Aggies needed only five innings to cruise to victory over San Diego, 8-0.

Amee Aarhus and Riley Plogger had nearly identical stat lines on Tuesday, each finishing with two hits, two runs and an extra-base hit. While Plogger and Aarhus has huge days at the plate, the tandem of Kelli White and Katie Schroeder combined for three strikeouts across five innings to earn the win for Utah State.

Lindsay Clare led off the third inning with a double for the Toreros , but fell victim to the Aggie defense going down as one of the four runners left on base for USD.

Utah State will earn the right to play the winner of the final game in Ogden on Tuesday between the host school Weber State and Boise State at 4 p.m. MT. San Diego will drop down and await the loser of the Big Sky versus Mountain West showdown.

Iona 3, Campbell 2

LYNCHBURG, VA -- An extra run in fourth inning proved to be the difference for Iona on Tuesday afternoon. The Gaels will stay in the winner's bracket in the Liberty Regional after defeating Campbell, 3-2.

Alana Evans picked up her 17th win of the season for the Gaels, going the complete game seven innings. Evans was backed by a stellar Iona defense that tallied 12 fly outs and seven groundouts without committing an error.

Campbell increased tension in the game's final moments eliciting an RBI single from Melissa Tullar to crawl within one before the Camels ran out of outs.

Ioana will turn around to play Ohio in the second of three games played in Lynchburg on day one of the tournament at 4 p.m. ET. Campbell on the other hand, will await the loser of the 7 p.m. ET game between Liberty and UNC Wilmington.

Western Kentucky 11, Alabama State 1

ATLANTA, GA -- Western Kentucky opened up the National Invitational Softball Championship in grand fashion Tuesday. The Hilltoppers totaled 11 runs over five innings to best the Alabama State Hornets, 11-1.

Brittany Vaughn shined for WKU, reaching base in all three appearances. Vaughn ended the game with two hits, a walk, one home run, two RBI and three runs scored.

Valerie Centeno scored the first official run of the 2017 tournament with a solo shot to right field in the top of the first inning. Alexia Boggess claimed the only other extra-base hit for the Hornets with a double in the fourth inning.

Western Kentucky resets to face Kennesaw State at 4 p.m. ET. The Hornets will drop down and await the loser of the Georgia State and UT Martin contest at 7 p.m. ET.

Kennesaw State 2, Western Kentucky 1

ATLANTA, GA -- Two home runs highlighted the second contest of the Georgia State Regional on Tuesday. It was Kennesaw State, however, who utilized the final solo shot to best the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky, 2-1.

Alley Cutting stole the show in Atlanta, pitching seven full innings, giving up only two hits and one earned run while totaling five strikeouts. Courtney Sutter dialed up the fatal blow in the sixth inning with her solo home run.

Kathryn Downing had a equally as proficient performance for the Hilltoppers as Cutting, giving up only one earned run across her six innings of work.

Kennesaw State now earns the right to play Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET against the winner of Georgia State and UT Martin. With their first loss of the tournament, Western Kentucky waits until 7 p.m. ET for the winner between Alabama State and a team yet to be determined.

Ohio 5, Iona College 1

LYNCHBURG, VA -- Lights out pitching from Ohio led the Bobcats to a comfortable victory in their first game of the 2017 NISC on Tuesday. Ohio handled Iona by a margin of 5-1 to remain atop the Liberty Regional.

Savannah Jo Dorsey led the Bobcats with dominant performance in the circle, pitching six innings, striking out seven and allowing no runs. Both Natalie Alvarez and Danielle Stiene tallied two RBI to lead Ohio to victory.

Ashlyn Morris was the lone Gael to record a hit on the afternoon, ruining the Bobcat's no-hit bid.

Ohio will stay on the winners side of the regional, awaiting the winner of Liberty and UNC Wilmington who will play at 7 p.m. ET. Iona is now slated a game Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, featuring either Campbell or a team yet to be determined.

Murray State 7, Michigan State 6

NORMAL, IL -- Trailing 6-2 entering the fifth inning, Murray State rattled off five unanswered runs across the next five innings to take down Michigan State, 7-6.

Brenna Finck and Jessica Twaddle carried the Racers across the finish line, combining for five runs, six hits, four RBI and two home runs. Haven Cambell jumped in relief in the third inning, shutting the Spartans out for the remaining six and one third innings.

Kelcey Carrasco signaled a bright spot for Michigan State, going 2-5 at the dish with a home run.

Murray State will welcome the winner of host school Illinois State and IUPUI. Meanwhile, the Spartans will await the loser of the Redbird versus Jaguar matchup.

Abilene Christian 5, UT Arlington 4

BEAUMONT, TX -- In arguably the most thrilling contest on the opening day of the 2017 NISC, Abilene Christian edged UT Arlington, 5-4, in the Lamar Regional.

Holly Neese provided the game-tying home run in the seventh inning to send the contest into extra-innings. Neese again would record an RBI in ninth, adding insurance to Peyton Hedrick's game-winning triple.

The Mavericks nearly extended the game further after a lead-off home run from Mallory Foster. Foster accounted for two walks and two of UT Arlington's four runs.

Abilene Christian will play again Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT as they await the winner of host school Lamar and Louisiana-Monroe who are set to pay at 7 p.m. CT. The loser will drop down to face UT Arlington.