Grapevine, T.X. – On a day that featured an over six-hour lightning delay, #6 University of Northwestern ended the second day of the 2026 NCCAA Softball World Series in the driver’s seat, picking up a 2-1 win over #1 Columbia International to stay unbeaten, while #2 Southwestern Christian University and #4 Wayland Baptist University survived a pair of elimination games to move on to the final day of play on Tuesday, May 19.
 
GAME SEVEN: #7 Kentucky Christian University 6, #5 Alice Lloyd College 3
 
Meeting for the fourth time in two weeks, #7 Kentucky Christian University took the latest meeting of the Mideast Regional rivalry, eliminating #5 Alice Lloyd College by a score of 6-3.

• After drawing a pair of early walks, Rebecca Engler continued her strong run on offense, as her single to centerfield scored Alyna Ruiz to put Kentucky Christian ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
• Mackinzie Newport started the offense for Alice Lloyd in the bottom of the first with an infield single and showed off the speed advancing to third on a sac bunt before a sacrifice fly from Mckenzie Orfield brought home her fellow Kenzie to tie the contest 1-1.
• An error by KCU in the bottom of the second along with a single from Brooke Baker put two Eagles on the basepaths, and Whitney Lippert brought them both home with a single to put Alice Lloyd ahead 3-1.
• A two out single from Hannah Melton and an error by ALC allowed Kylie Mathes to keep the top of the third inning rolling, before a single from Sara Bays brought home both Knights to tie the contest back up at three runs apiece.
• Defensive miscues continued to plague Alice Lloyd in the top of the fourth inning, as another error by the Eagles allowed Alexis Holleman to score, putting Kentucky Christian ahead 4-3. The Knights loaded the bases later in the frame, and Mathes drew a walk on six pitches, pushing Kentucky Christian ahead 5-3.
• Ariana Adams opened the top of the sixth with a single and a deep strike to the right field fence from Melton scored her from second, and KCU extended their lead to 6-3.
• Kentucky Christian was able to force a pair of quick outs in the bottom of the seventh, and then both teams had to head to the busses to wait out a six hour and 20 minute lightning delay before Katie Deeds recorded a two-out single, but would overrun the second base bag on a ball hit by Kinna Justice, and the game ended with Kentucky Christian taking the 6-3 victory.
• Bays was stellar on the mound and on offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double, while also allowing seven hits, one earned run and striking out an Alice Lloyd batter.

GAME EIGHT: #8 Dallas Christian College 4, #3 Arlington Baptist University 1
 
In a rematch from the Central Regional tournament, #8 Dallas Christian College won their first NCCAA Softball World Series game in program history, defeating crosstown rival #3 Arlington Baptist University 4-1.

• For the second day in a row, Kayla Looper went yard for Dallas Christian College, giving the Crusaders the 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a shot over the centerfield wall. 
• An error by Dallas Christian allowed Caelie Evans to advance to second for Arlington Baptist in the bottom of the first inning, and Sadie Ryan brought her home with a bloop single to the outfield, tying the contest 1-1.
• Looper continued to rake for the Crusaders in the top of the third inning, hitting her second home run of the contest to put DCC back ahead 2-1.
• Both defenses locked in for the next three innings, with the best chance coming for Dallas Christian in the top of the sixth inning thanks to a single from Julissa Amparo, but an interference call ended the frame with the Crusaders still ahead 2-1. 
• After Julia Saucedo reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second, DCC extended the lead in the top of the seventh after an error by ABU allowed her to score, pushing Dallas Christian ahead 3-1. Georgina Carillo continued to pad the lead for the Crusaders, as her RBI groundout brought home Saucedo to swell the lead to 4-1.
• Arlington Baptist threatened with a single from Katelyn Barrett, but a double play from Carrillo and Saucedo ended the game, and Dallas Christian came away with the 4-1 upset win.
• Looper led DCC with two hits, both of those being home runs, two runs, and three RBI. Jasmine Hernandez pitched a gem for the Crusaders, allowing one unearned run and four hits while striking out a pair of batters on just 82 pitches.

GAME NINE: #4 Wayland Baptist University 9, #7 Kentucky Christian University 6
 
Fourth-seeded Wayland Baptist University scored six runs in the first inning and held off a late rally by #7 Kentucky Christian University to eliminate the Knights 9-6.

• Small ball started the scoring for Wayland Baptist in the bottom of the first inning, as the Pioneers loaded the bases, before Berkley Bradley dropped a perfect bunt in front of the circle to score Reagan Davis and put WBU ahead 1-0. Kailee Sanchez drew a walk to score Mikayla Carillo, and back-to-back RBI singles from Kynleigh Kirby and Mikenzi Carlo scored Yaheli Jaramillo and Bradley to push the lead to 3-0, before a Lia Lozano sac fly brought home Sanchez to make it 5-0. Batting for the second time in the inning, Davis brought home another Pioneer run, as her infield single scored Kirby to push WBU ahead 6-0.
• Kentucky Christian was able to load the bases in the top of the second frame, thanks in part to a single from Hannah Melton and a double by Abby McPherson, and Alexis Holleman drew a walk to score Melton and cut the WBU lead to 6-1.
• Ariana Adams drew a leadoff walk to open the top of the third inning, and a Sara Bays single brought her home for Kentucky Christian, cutting the Pioneers’ advantage to 6-2.
• Lozano took a journey in the bottom of the third inning, getting on base thanks to a single and reaching second on a passed ball, before a Carillo single brought her home, pushing the Pioneers ahead 7-2.
• In the top of the fourth, Madison Penrod sent the ball well over the center field fence, sprinting all the way home in jubilation and celebrating with a Texas-sized studded cowgirl hat, as her solo shot cut the WBU advantage to 7-3. 
• Wayland Baptist responded in the bottom of the fourth, as Bradley scored off a Kirby single, before a Lozano single scored Kirby to push the Pioneers ahead 9-3.
• The small ball worked for Kentucky Christian in the top of the fifth inning, as Sara Bays brought home Melton on a bunt, before a wild pitch brought Mathes home and the Knights cut Wayland Baptist’s lead to 9-5.
• Kentucky Christian continued to battle in the top of the sixth inning, as a two-out single for Ariana Adams split the WBU defense, scoring Alyna Ruiz and KCU trailed just 9-6.
• Bays looked to keep the rally going in the top of the seventh for the Knights, but Logan Schultz struck out her seventh batter of the game to end any sort of comeback, as Wayland Baptist held on for the 9-6 victory. 
• Lozano led the Pioneers, going 2-for-2 with 2 RBI and a run scored, while Bradley and Kirby both picked up two hits and scored a pair of runs, with Kirby also adding a pair of RBI.

GAME TEN: #2 Southwestern Christian University 13, #8 Dallas Christian College 5
 
Second-seeded Southwestern Christian University scored seven unanswered runs to pull away from #8 Dallas Christian College 13-5 in five innings in an elimination contest.

• Kayla Looper continued to rake for Dallas Christian, sending the eighth pitch of the game over the right field fence for her fourth home run of the tournament and third of the day to put the Crusaders ahead 1-0 in the top of the first. 
• After a sac bunt from Trinity Norwood, a sac fly by Sabrina Gilbert scored Hannah Keele in the bottom of the first, tying the contest, before an RBI single from Ebony Garza brought home Kylee Coy, and Southwestern Christian went ahead 2-1.
• Lia Rojas drew a walk to start the top of the second inning, and Laila Robins brought her home to score later in the frame with an RBI double to help Dallas Christian tie the contest at two runs apiece.
• The Crusaders showed off the speed in the top of the third, as Kyleigh Lewis and Georgina Carillo pulled off the double steal, with Lewis stealing second and Carillo stealing home to put Dallas Christian ahead 3-2.
• Southwestern Christian answered with authority in the bottom of the third frame, as Norwood turned a leadoff double into a run thanks to an RBI single by Garza to tie the contest 3-3. A Dallas Christian error scored Valeria Bridges to give the Eagles the lead, while another fielding error by the Crusaders allowed Garza to score and pushed SCU ahead 5-3. Peyton Leba kept the scoring going for Southwestern Christian, as her single scored Jessie Moralez and a groundout by Keele allowed Jasmine Olivas to come in to score, and SCU soared ahead to a 7-3 lead.
• The defensive miscues continued for Dallas Christian in the bottom of the fourth, as a throwing error on a walk allowed Garza to score all the way from third and put SCU on top 8-3. A Jayley Ray single brought home Moralez and the Eagles continued to roll, pulling ahead 9-3.
• Dallas Christian ended the scoring run in the top of the fifth inning, as the Crusaders loaded the bases before Lia Rojas drew a walk to score Kyleigh Lewis, and Perla Herrera also drew a walk to bring in Julissa Amparo, and DCC cut the deficit down to 9-5. Laila Roberts looked to tie the game with a grand slam, but Norwood robbed Roberts at the wall to end the inning and keep SCU on top.
• Southwestern Christian ended the contest with authority in the bottom of the fifth inning, as a Garza RBI single scored Keele before a wild pitch brought home Coy to push the Eagles ahead 11-5. Kelsie McCollom tallied an infield single to bring in Gilbert, and Kylah Daniel called ballgame for the Eagles, scoring Garza on a single to give SCU the 13-5 win in five innings.
• Garza was outstanding for Southwestern Christian, going 4-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored to lead the Eagles. Despite the loss, Looper was a perfect 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI for Dallas Christian. 

 
GAME ELEVEN: #6 University of Northwestern 2, #1 Columbia International University 1
 
Ireland Strubbe pitched a gem as #6 University of Northwestern knocked off #1 Columbia International University 2-1 in the final game of the day to stay unbeaten in Grapevine.

• The two teams struggled to get baserunners through the first two innings, but Hannah Lexvold recorded a single in the top of the third to pick up the first hit for Northwestern. A single by Hannah Storey brought Lexvold home, and the Eagles took the 1-0 lead.
• Hannah Murphy looked to get the offense rolling for Columbia International in the top of the fourth, recording a one-out single down the left field line, but UNW pitcher Ireland Strubbe tallied a strike out and forced a fly out, ending the threat. 
• In the top of the fifth, Lexvold again came up big for the Eagles with a leadoff single, and after entering the game to run for her, Emma Westrate came around to score on a Storey single to push UNW ahead 2-0.
• Columbia International finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth, as another Murphy single allowed her to reach base, before a Gabriella Czuczuk double brought her home, cutting the Eagle advantage to 2-1.
• Northwestern loaded the bases in the top of the seventh looking to add on, but a strikeout from Abby Ragan and a pop up to second base ended the threat, and CIU headed to the home half of the seventh down just one run.
• After picking up two quick outs thanks in part to an Ireland Strubbe strikeout, Tristan Phillips recorded a single for the Rams in the bottom of the seventh. However, Strubbe again forced CIU into a flyout, and the game ended with UNW picking up the 2-1 upset win.
• Strubbe shined on the mound for the Eagles, giving up seven hits, one run, and striking out six with zero walks on 109 pitches. Storey was the story of the offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.

Action concludes from the 2026 NCCAA Softball World Series from the Oak Grove Complex in Grapevine, Texas on Wednesday, May 20. The first two games are set to begin at 1:00 PM CT, with the final games to be played on Field 4 at 3:30 PM CT and 6:00 PM CT if necessary. A full schedule of games along with box scores can be found here.
 
About the NCCAA
Established in 1968, the National Christian College Athletic Association uses intercollegiate athletics to further the Great Commission and is committed to equipping student-athletes and coaches to make a positive impact for Christ. The NCCAA currently holds 23 national championship events, along with one national invitational for 88 member schools across 28 states and two Canadian provinces. For more information on the NCCAA, visit our website, thenccaa.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @thenccaa.