MADISON, Wis. - Marian University softball (26-14, 13-9 NACC) clinched a berth in the NACC Tournament for the first time since 2012 with a 7-4, 6-2 sweep of Edgewood.

The Sabres opened game one scoring six unanswered runs and were able to hold off a late Eagle to push to earn the win. 

Senior Nicole LaBeck drove in freshman Ally Fox with a single in the first inning before sophomore Olivia Hartley brought home senior Sara Terrian in the second.  Terrian then hit a bases clearing triple in the third to put Marian up 5-0.  An unearned run from senior Charlotte Pegram in the fourth gave the Sabres a commanding 6-0 lead.

The Eagles fought back with runs in the fourth and fifth before Pegram extended the lead out with a single and an error on the play that allowed fellow senior Tiffani Castillo to score.  Edgewood would plate a run in the sixth and the seventh but Marian was able to hold on for the 7-4 win.

Senior Shannon Huray (13-9) went the distance striking out four and scattering seven hits for the complete game win.  Fox and Pegram led the way offensively with Fox going 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI and Pegram going 2-3 with a run scored.

Marian was able to get out to another early lead in game two and some insurance late clinched the sweep and the playoff berth.

Freshman Gianna Esposito opened the scoring in a big way in the second with her second home run of the season before Fox added to the lead in the fifth with an inside the park home run that scored a pair of runs and put MU up 3-0.  Edgewood answered in the next half-inning cutting the deficit to one but the Sabres were able to add insurance in the seventh.  An error opened the big inning to score Fox before a sacrifice fly from LaBeck and a double from freshman Courtney Makinen set the final at 6-2.

Freshman Paige Rauhut (11-5) battled scattering eight hits over 7.0 innings and striking out four for the win in the circle.  Fox once again had a multi-hit game going 2-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, while Esposito and Makinen each went 2-4.

The final NACC games of the year will be played later tonight and will determine the seeding for the Sabres.

--FightBlueFight--