Wildcats Win National Championship

The NDSCS Wildcats Softball team is back on top as they recapture the NJCAA DIII Softball National Championship.  The Wildcats won their first title back in 2023 and fell last year in the championship game.  Last year's team fell to Patrick & Henry CC in a two game series, and this year's team defeated Patrick & Henry to reclaim their title.

The weather throughout the weekend was a challenge for the Wildcats and the other seven teams competing for the title.  Multiple rain delays, games being postponed, playing in bad weather made it difficult on all of the teams in the field, but the Wildcats were able to keep their focus and energy on the controllables.  The Wildcats ended up playing three games, all on Sunday, to win the title.

Game One: VS. Monroe CC

Heeley Taylor took the mound for the first game against Monroe.  Taylor went all seven innings and was solid throughout giving up seven hits, one run, one walk, and five strikeouts.  The defense was flawless behind Taylor not having a single error.  The game was tied up 0-0 going into the bottom of the fifth where Meridith Frey and Rayelle Cooley were both on base.  Caitlyn Dannenfelzer hit a single to left scoring both batters to get the 'Cats on the board 2-0.  A couple batters later, Emma Johnson came to the plate and hit a deep shot out to right field for a two run home run scoring Dannenfelzer and herself to get the lead up to 4-0.  The Wildcats continued piling on the runs in the sixth inning starting with Frey getting an RBI single scoring Katie Edmonds.  Next up, Cooley singled to right field scoring Frey and Johnson came back up singling to score Cooley to get the score up to 7-0 heading into the seventh and final inning.  Monroe was able to put a run on the board in the seventh, but the Wildcats would prevail winning by a score of 7-1.  

Game Two: VS. Patrick & Henry CC (Game 1 of National Championship Series)

The Wildcats had to make a very quick turnaround as Patrick & Henry CC was awaiting the winner of the previous game.  NDSCS had played PHCC on Saturday falling by a score of 0-3 to set up the National Championship series where NDSCS would have to win two games to claim the title.  Ella Stewart had an excellent showing on the mound as she went all seven innings allowing only four total base runners (three hits, one walk).  Stewart was in full control the entire game and struck out 10 of the 25 batters that she faced.  The defense, once again, didn't commit a single error in the game to aid Stewart in her shutout.  The games only runs came in the top of the first inning when Emma Johnson hit a two run home run scoring herself and Kendyl Moss to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.  The Wildcats did have a total of seven hits on the game, but weren't able to produce anymore runs after Johnson's home run.  The pitching and defense kept Patrick & Henry at bay as the Wildcats would shutout the Patriots to set up a winner-take-all game for the title.

Game Three: VS. Patrick & Henry CC (Game 2 of National Championship Series)

The final game of the NJCAA DIII World Series came down to the Wildcats and the Patriots for the third time in two days.  The Wildcats decided to keep Ella Stewart on the mound before subbing in Emma Johnson in the second inning.  The Patriots got off to a quick start by getting a run in each of the first three innings to take a 0-3 lead.  Grace Folkema came into the game to start the fourth inning where she would hold the Patriots to only two hits and one walk without giving up any runs.  The Wildcats trailed 0-3 going into the bottom of the fifth inning when Rayelle Cooley singled to center field scoring Meridith Frey to get the 'Cats on the board.  The next batter was Caitlyn Dannenfelzer who hit a shot out to right field that landed on the foul line.  The outfielder for the Patriots made a play on the ball, but missed it giving Dannenfelzer a chance for extra bases.  Dannenfelzer used her speed to get all the way around the bases to score an inside-the-park home run while also batting in Cooley to tie the game up at 3-3.  Emma Johnson would get on base and would eventually score as well in the bottom of the fifth after Jessi Mathews hit a ball into center that was misplayed by the center fielder scoring Johnson to give the 'Cats a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth inning.  The Wildcats added one more in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-3 lead heading into the final inning.  Folkema made quick work of the final batters with the last batter hitting a shot to center that was caught by Meridith Frey to secure the win and the Wildcats' second NJCAA National Championship.

Caitlyn Dannenfelzer was named the tournament MVP hitting .368 with eight RBIs and three stolen bases.

This is the second National Championship for the NDSCS Wildcats Softball Team.  The 2024-25 team joins the 2022-23 team as National Champions.