CEDARVILLE, Ohio – The Trevecca Nazarene University softball team (32-10, 14-4 G-MAC) split a double header at Cedarville University (28-13, 13-7 G-MAC), winning game one 8-3 before falling in game two 9-1 in five innings.

Trevecca secured the top seed in the 2014 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championships prior to today's double header. Heading into this weekends conference action Trevecca was 13-3 in G-MAC play. Kentucky Wesleyan College and Cedarville were tied at 11-5. Trevecca games with Ursuline College were cancelled and due to the short window before the tournament, those games could not be made up. The conference champion is determined by winning percentage in conference play. With those parameters, the Trojans needed to win one game versus Cedarville or for Cedarville and Kentucky Wesleyan to each lose a game. When Cedarville and Kentucky Wesleyan split their Friday double header, that gave Trevecca the 2014 regular season title without playing a game on Friday.

The regular season title is the Trojans second in a row in as many years in the two-year history of the G-MAC conference. Last year the Trojans finished 12-0 in the league, this year the team finishes the regular season with a 14-4 mark.

For coach Ben Tyree, this is his fourth regular season conference championship in his six years as the head coach. In addition to the two G-MAC titles, he led the program to two TranSouth Athletic Conference titles in 2010 and 2011. Though Trevecca was not in a conference in 2012, due to the transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II, Tyree led the program to the NCCAA Mid-East Regional championship that year.

GAME ONE

Trevecca won their league leading 14th regular season conference game to open the double header. Trevecca outhit Cedarville 7-6 and the Yellow Jackets helped the Trojans with three errors.

Cedarville jumped up on top of Trevecca with a three-run third, but Trevecca responded with a two-run third and sealed the win with a six-run fourth.

Mackenzie Leding (JR/Springfield, Tenn.) led off the Trevecca fourth with a single and moved up a base on Alex Richardson (FR/Ten Mile, Tenn.) fielder's choice. Richardson was safe due to a CU throwing error. The Yellow Jacket miscue scored Leding and Richardson settled in at second. An out later Heather Shuler (SR/Nolensville, Tenn.) doubled to drive in Richardson. The two runs cut the CU lead to one at 3-2.

Ansley Brantley (SO/Kite, Ga.) led off the Trojan fifth with a walk and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Kelsey Kemp (JR/Lawrenceburg, Tenn.). Lindsey Stephens (JR/Somerset, Ky.) doubled to drive in Brantley, tying the game at 3-3. Two wild pitches to the next TNU hitter, Leding, moved Stephens to third and then home, scoring the third baseman putting the Trojans in front, 4-3, for good.

Leding eventually worked a walk to reach base. Richardson grounded out, moving Leding to second, where another wild pitch moved her to third. Megan Chesney (SR/Murfreesboro, Tenn.) walked to put runners at the corners. Chesney stole second putting her in place to score on a two-RBI single from Shuler. Haley Fagan (SO/Cornersville, Tenn.) followed at the plate and reached safely on an error. Jordan Griner (SO/Mulberry, Tenn.) made it pay off for the Trojans with a double to left in the next at bat, scoring Shuler and Fagan.

After the three-run Cedarville third, Fagan (13-6) shut down the Yellow Jackets. Fagan pitched a complete game, allowing six hits, three runs, and no walks. She struck out seven. Cecelia DeBartolo (11-4) took the loss for CU after allowing all eight runs in her five innings of work.

Heather Shuler had a 2-for-3 game at the plate with a run scored, three RBI, and a double. Jordan Griner produced two RBI with her double.

GAME TWO

Cedarville controlled the Trojans in game two after setting the tone with a four-run first inning. Trevecca scored their lone run in the top of the second, but the Yellow Jackets came back with two in the third and three in the fifth to force the run-rule into play in their 9-1 victory.

The nine runs posted against Trevecca by Cedarville today is the most runs the Trojans have allowed this season and it is the only time that the run-rule has been put into play against the Trojans since the second game of the 2013 season. During the second game of the 2013 season Austin Peay State University defeated TNU 18-6 in five innings. The loss to APSU is the last time the Trojans have had the run-rule was enforced against them.

In the bottom of the first, Cedarville's Rachel Bull lead off the inning by drawing a walk and advanced to second on a Christi Kirkpatrick single. Nicole Davis reached on a fielder's choice (Kirkpatrick was forced out at second) setting the table for the games biggest hit. Kelsey Chapman hit a three-run home run that put the Yellow Jackets up for good. The Jackets went on to add a run for a 4-0 lead after an inning of play.

Trevecca responded with a run in the second. Chesney walked to lead off the inning and moved to third on a Shuler double. Griner scored Chesney with a sac fly, It would prove to be the Trojans only run of the game.

Trevecca collected just five hits in the game and aided the Yellow Jackets with two errors. CU had 11 hits and no errors.

Kelsey Kemp (12-2) started in the circle and took her second loss of the year. Kemp allowed six runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out a pair. Kemp pitched two and third. Stephens came on for two innings of work.

Courtnie Spain (11-6) was the winning pitcher for Cedarville. She pitched all five innings and allowed five hits, a run and walked three while striking out six Trojans.

No Trojan had more than one hit. Stephens, Leding, and Shuler all delivered a double and Brantley picked up another stolen base.

The 2014 G-MAC championships are set for May 1-3 in at Jackson Field in Vienna, W.Va. Tentatively the Trojans are set to play in game one of the event. Game one pits #8 Ursuline versus the #1 TNU at 10 a.m. (EST) on Thursday. 2014 G-MAC Championships Home Page