Chattanooga, TN - The 14th-ranked McKendree University Softball team was back in familiar territory on Friday afternoon at the NCAA Division II Women's College World Series. Sure, they were still amid their first-ever appearance of this caliber, but they were back to playing a team they'd played before in 2026 - the fifth-ranked Missouri Southern State Lions. In February, McKendree (50-15) swept Missouri Southern State (54-9) in Joplin, but as the saying goes, anything can happen when it comes to the postseason. After the Bearcats had taken an early one-run lead, the Lions pounced twice over thanks to the long ball. McKendree was yet to run out of late-game excitement. An RBI hit from Jasmine Myers tied the game back up before Paisley Twait delivered the walk-off hit, an RBI single up the middle, giving McKendree a 3-2 win, a 50th win of the season, and advancement to the Final Four on Sunday afternoon.
The Bearcats made very quick work of the Lions to start, as Sami Huck retired the first six batters she faced. During that stretch, McKendree got a single from Lauren Harris that was stranded. In the bottom of the second, Ali Grenzebach lined a first-pitch single out to left. Molly Bartz followed with a hit by pitch. It would be Trista Moore getting the first run on the board. After what the Lions thought was a swinging strikeout was called a foul ball, Moore roped a ground ball to shortstop, causing a fielding error that Grenzebach came around to score on.
Missouri Southern State countered with back-to-back singles, even advancing both into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Yet in the span of four pitches, Huck and the Bearcat defense drew a popout to Harris and a groundout to Addie Clark to keep the 1-0 lead.
McKendree loaded the bases in the bottom half thanks to a Harris single, but after that, quite the play. Jasmine Myers got signaled to bunt, and bunt she did - an infield single actually, after the junior's bunt had enough legs on it to breach the first and second base gap. There was a Tapp fielder's choice, but a strikeout and fielder's choice ended the inning.
In the top of the fourth, the Lions stranded a double. After that, both teams traded 1-2-3 innings. In the top half of the fifth, Addie Clark made a crucial catch on a screaming line drive that could've put a runner in scoring position.
With opportunities to pull ahead dwindling, the Bearcats got a leadoff double from Harris in the fifth, but Missouri Southern State got three straight groundouts to grab what seemed like a burst of momentum.
Sure enough, in the top of the sixth, the Lions took the third pitch of the inning over the right field fence to tie the game up. A two-out triple made it to the wall in center field, but would not come around to score.
The Bearcats couldn't manage a counter-punch in the bottom of the sixth, going 1-2-3. Missouri Southern State even took the lead behind another solo home run, putting them ahead 2-1 and forcing McKendree to need a walkoff to win the game.
Frost Stadium was filled with nervous, frankly quiet at times, energy, whether it be for a Lions fan or a Bearcats fan. McKendree needed a run to tie and two runs to win it.
That nervousness quickly became Bearcat momentum. McKendree got both batters to reach at the start - a second-pitch single from Trista Moore and Sami Huck reaching on an error.
Jasmine Myers would make the first big play, taking a first pitch single off the pitching arm of the Lions' ace Kiki Pickens, deflecting out towards right field, allowing Moore to come around and score to tie the game.
Next would be Paisley Twait. Twait fell behind in the count 0-2, but also fought off four straight foul balls. On the seventh pitch of the at bat, Twait lined the game-winning hit out into center field, bringing home Huck and winning the game by its one-run margin.
SHE SAID IT - QUOTES FROM COACH HEATHER TARTER
On utilizing familiar personnel points of the Lions, given it was their third team playing each other in 2026
"We're really familiar with what they did and what they had. Sami was able to keep them off-balance. We gave up a couple big hits, but we weren't defeated. Unfortunately, we're pretty used to playing teams multiple times."
On what needed to be said to the team about battling through rainy conditions
"I don't think we've had a postgame without some sort of rain this whole season. We're used to it."
On if she ever thought she'd use Jasmine Myers to bunt for a hit
"No. Jazz, I don't typically have her bunting.There was an opportunity, if she were to soften it up a little bit, she would've been safe, but she drove it and was still safe, so that's great."
On how she plans to utilize the Saturday off
"Obviously, we're going to rest and recover. We'll do something tomorrow (Saturday). I haven't quite planned that out yet - we're taking it one day at a time. We'll do something to keep us active a little bit. We'll have to do some scouting for the team that we play next. Our bodies need it (the rest), but our minds need it as well."
On if being in the Final Four was always part of the vision for her program after being hired in 2022
"Absolutely. I've alluded to this before, but when we signed Lauren Harris. She was a huge part of us building to this point. We had all the confidence in the world, we just had to find the pieces around her, like bringing in Sami, Jazzy (Jasmine Myers), and Paisley and others. Our goal is always to get here."
On how fun it is to coach this team
"It's easy. It's fun and it's easy. They're a bunch of wild ones, but we have a thing where we say that we've gotta lock in and it's a business trip. We're sticking to that at this moment."
SHE SAID IT - QUOTES FROM SAMI HUCK
On pitching through the rain
"We have been playing in rain since postseason, so I've kind of gotten used to it. I just try and stay calm and usually just trust my teammates."
On fighting through the late Lion surge
"Me and Jo (Paisley Twait) work great together as a battery. She's always like 'it's okay, it's okay'. I usually just look at Jazz (Jasmine Myers) or Lo (Lauren Harris) in the field.
SHE SAID IT - QUOTES FROM PAISLEY TWAIT
On the nerves leading into the walkoff at bat
"It's just realizing that we're playing for each other. Even if I were to get out, I know that somebody has my back. No matter the outcome, we're all going to just smile and look at each other and have fun together.
On the moment of the walkoff
"I would say probably (blacking out). I feel like I saw a lot of pitches. I kept doing the same thing over and over again. So one of these times, it was going to go fair."
On countering the rain defensively at the catcher spot
"Sami makes it easy too. It calms any nerves that I have. To have Coach Dow and Coach Tarter to look at them and see them have complete faith in me - it's always a confidence boost."
SHE SAID IT - QUOTES FROM JASMINE MYERS
On having seen the sign from Coach Tarter to bunt
"I did not (expect to ever get that sign). I saw the sign on my watch and I was like 'okay, whatever she wants - I'm going to give her'. I ended up doing it and it wasn't really a bunt, it was more of a ground ball, but we won't talk about that."
On just focusing on doing what's needed in the moment despite being known for her power
"I just gotta do whatever Tarter says. I'll do anything it takes for this team. They need a bunt, they need runners moved, and I ended up still getting a hit."
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
2026 NCAA DII Women's College World Series Final Four
vs. TBD (pending elimination games on Saturday)
Sunday, May 31st - 12:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM EST
at Frost Stadium - Chattanooga, Tennessee
Watch Live (NCAA.com)
Live stats (NCAA.com)
Tickets (Zeffy)
