VIENNA, W.Va. – The top-seeded Trevecca Nazarene University softball team (35-10) defeated second-seeded Kentucky Wesleyan College (25-18) 5-2 in the final winner's bracket game of the 2014 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championships on Friday. Trevecca advances to the championship round on Saturday at Jackson Field Park in Vienna. Trevecca will play at 11 AM. If they win, they are the champions. A loss by TNU will force a if necessary game at 1 PM.

Trevecca got the early edge with a run in the bottom of the third. Ansley Brantley (SO/Kite, Ga.) scored on Lindsey Stephen's RBI single to shallow left field.  

The Panthers responded in the top of the fourth when Amber Pendergraft reached base on an error and advanced to third on the very next play on another defensive mistake. Pendergraft scored on a fielder's choice by Ashley Crooke to tie the game at one.

In the top of the fifth the Panthers scored again, this time taking a 2-1 advantage. Amber Pendergraft singled to right field scoring Alex Baumgart. 

The Trojans answered with a four-run bottom of the fifth to take control 5-1, which would be the final score.

Catcher Jordan Griner (SO/Mulberry, Tenn.) drilled a lead-off home run over the left field fence to tie the game, seemingly lighting a fire under the Trojans. Kelsey Kemp (JR/Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) singled to left and then stole second. An infield single by Stephens put runners on the corners and Mackenzie Leding (JR/Springfield, Tenn.) kept things going as she connected for a double off the shin of KWC third baseman Crooke, scoring Kemp for the go ahead run. 

Alex Richardson (FR/Ten Mile, Tenn.) kept the inning alive when she reached on a fielding error by the Panthers center fielder. Stephens scored to put the Trojans up 4-2. Trevecca plated the final run of the game when Megan Chesney (SR/Murfreesboro, Tenn.) delivered a sac bunt that scored Leding form third.

Trevecca had 10 hits and two errors while KWC had five hits and two errors.

Haley Fagan (SO/Cornersville, Tenn.) (15-6) closed out her complete game by limiting the Panthers to five hits, two runs – one earned, no walks, and had six strikeouts. Fagan threw 99 pitches, 71 were strikes.

Griner went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, a home run, a run scored and an RBI. Brantley and Stephens each went 2-for-4 at the plate in the game. Brantley added a double and a run scored. Stephens helped with a run scored and RBI.  Kemp was 1-for-3 with a run scored, stolen base, and a walk.  

Trevecca will play in the championship game on Saturday at 11 AM. Trevecca will face the winner of the 9 AM game between #2 Kentucky Wesleyan and #3 Cedarville University. Whoever their opponent is will need to beat the Trojans twice while Trevecca needs to win one of the two championship games.