VERONA, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – The Marian University softball team has clinched a berth into the Northern Athletics Conference tournament with a doubleheader sweep on the road over host Edgewood College at Ceniti Park this evening, April 26.
The Sabres qualified for the postseason with four games remaining and for the first time since 2010. It also marked their 13th conference win of the season, the most since 2009 when that team won 16 league games.

Molly Sippel's 3-for-4 performance in game one led a come-from-behind effort that saw the Sabres trailing 3-0 after the first inning. However, three runs in the second tied the score followed by another run in the third and four runs in the fifth on the way to an 11-4 game one victory. Cherise Waltz was on top of her game in the nightcap as she recorded her fifth shutout of the season in a 2-0 win.

The Sabres improve to 18-16 overall, 13-7 in the NAC, while the Eagles fall to 12-22 (5-15 NAC).

In game one, Edgewood got four of its seven hits all in the first inning, which led to three of its four runs. Emily Monson led off the game with a single followed by an RBI single sandwiched between two run-scoring doubles.

The Sabres showed great resolve, however, answering back in the top of the second with three runs to tie the game. Sippel led the rally with a leadoff single and Ariel O'Neill provided a sacrifice fly to get the Sabres on the board with two outs.

Daniel Gerth then smacked a double and would come around to score on Courtney Krueger's single up the middle. Krueger would then tie it on Liz Schaller's triple to right field.

Leading 4-3 in the fifth, Emily Boehnlein supplied the power with her fifth home run of the season, a two-run blast to right-center field to make it a 6-3 game. The Sabres would tack on two unearned runs in the frame to take a commanding edge and Waltz did the rest.

The senior struck out four and walked none towards earning her 14th win of the year. She would make it six straight wins with a shutout in game two, going the distance and allowing just four hits, striking out two and walking none.

O'Neill provided all the offense needed to back Waltz in game two. Her solo blast to right center gave Marian a 1-0 lead in the second inning. She made it a 2-0 lead in the fourth with an RBI single through the left side. O'Neill finished the game 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs, identical to her production from game one.

Marian had 12 hits in game one and seven in game two as the offense has found a groove in the past four games.

The Sabres now prepare to take on conference leading Benedictine, which has just one loss this season in league play. Saturday will also mark senior day for the Royal Blue and White when Cherise Waltz, Aubrey O'Brien and Emily Boehnlein will be honored between games. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.