DePaul Softball Wins Big East Championship

The DePaul Blue Demons are the 2019 Big East softball champions! The 11-10 victory over the Villanova Wildcats gave the Blue Demons their third consecutive Big East title.

The Blue Demons advanced to the championship game, by virtue of a 4-0 shutout of Providence on Saturday. Villanova gained their berth in beating Seton Hall 6-4 earlier on Saturday.

Villanova scored two in the first and added another run in the third to lead 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third. The Wildcats were looking strong.

DePaul came alive in the bottom of the third, as Jessica Cothern belted a two run home run after Maranda Gutierrez walked. Morgan Greenwood followed the homer with a single. Madison Fisher went in as a pinch runner for Greenwood and scored on a Gabby O'Riley single. The score was now tied 3-3.

It didn't stay tied for long. Villanova answered in the top of the fourth with two runs. They added two more in each of the fifth and sixth innings to extend the lead to 9-3. It started to rain and the outcome seemed just as gloomy, but DePaul wasn't done.

Brianna Viles singled and scored on a double by Erin Andris, who then scored on a double by Cothern. Gutierrez was hit by a pitch. Morgan Greenwood cracked a three run home run, scoring Cothern and Gutierrez. Kate Polucha walked and advanced when Angela Scalzitti reached base on an error. O'Riley singled to score Polucha. Viles punched a two run double to give DePaul an 11-9 lead.

Villanova made it (more) interesting with a solo home run in the top of the seventh, but that would be it for the Wildcats. A fly out ended the game at 11-10 and gace DePaul the tourney title.

DePaul's Natalie Halvorson notched the win by pitching 2 1/3 innings, while yielding 5 runs on 4 hits. Halvorson won both games in the tourney. It was Halvorson's 21st win of the season against only 7 losses.

Yesterday's starter, Krista Dalgarn, picked up the save, racking up 4 2/3 innings, while giving up 5 runs on 7 hits. Dalgarn earned her 5th save.

The Big East Conference championship win makes it a three-peat for DePaul, who won the previous two seasons. It also gives them a berth in the upcoming NCAA tournament. Today is Selection Sunday, with all of the teams, brackets and locations announced for the tournament.

Congratulations to the Blue Demons. A couple months ago, I had the pleasure of a courtside seat as DePaul won the Big East Women's Basketball championship and now I had a front row seat to see the softball team take the title. I am a proud alum, a thankful reporter and a thrilled fan. Congrats and thank you to DePaul Coach Tracie Adix-Zins, in her first season at the helm, for her time and consideration all season.

It has been a great ride and a real pleasure covering this team. I look forward to following them from afar as they play in the upcoming NCAA tourney.

Thank you to Big East Communications Assistant Korey Schrock, DePaul Assistant Director of Communications Bob Sakamoto and DePaul Communications Graduate Assistant Alyssa Damato for facilitating all of my coverage.