Softball Wins Two in Playoffs in Dramatic Fashion

Alaina Neubecker
Alaina Neubecker

In the NJCAA District 12 playoff opener on Thursday, ACC found itself on the losing end of a last inning rally, but Friday the Lumberjacks turned the tables and won in two exciting finishes, scoring one in the top of the 7th against Oakland Community College to force extra innings, then winning it in the 8th, 4-3 and then following that up with a two-run rally in the bottom of the 7th for a 5-4 walk-off win against Glen Oaks Community College.

ACC stayed alive in the double elimination tourney and play Grand Rapids Community College tomorrow, Sat. May 10 at 10:00 a.m. in Marysville, Michigan. If the Lumberjacks win, they will have the opportunity to make the NJCAA national tournament in Oxford, Alabama if they can win back-to-back games against Lansing Community College who has yet to lose in the tourney.

Both Oakland and Glen Oaks were knocked out of the tourney by the Lumberjacks.

The Jacks opened the scoring against Oakland win the top of the fifth as with one out, Alaina Neubecker walked, Reagan Sides reached on an error and Maggie Sandoval reached on a bunt single, an error on the bunt allowed Neubecker to score. With two outs, Dakota Rachow plated Sides with an RBI single to center for a 2-0 ACC lead.

OCC took the lead with a three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth, needing just three outs to end the Lumberjacks' season. But Alaina Neubecker hit the first pitch she saw leading off the top of the seventh over the fence for a game-tying home run. Morgan Krentz gave up a lead-off single in the bottom of the seventh but standed that runner with three straight outs from the circle. 

Dakota Rachow led off the bottom of the frame with a double and after two outs were recorded, Kenna Tippman delivered an RBI single to right, giving ACC a 4-3 advantage. Krentz made it stand up throwing a scoreless seventh, aided by a game-ending Tippman to Kirsten Neubecker double play for the win.

Krentz threw eight innings, giving up eight hits, two earned runs, no walks and eight strikeouts. Rachow was the only Lumberjack with two outs.

The Glen Oaks game followed a similar script with ACC leading early, scoring two in the fourth on a two-out two-run double by Sandoval and one in the fifth on an RBI by Tippman.

The Oaks staged a huge rally in the sixth, tying the game on a three-run home run, then scoring another run on three straight hits to take the lead, 4-3. They nearly broke the game open loading the bases, but a line drive to right field was turned into a double play by ACC's Faith Cousins. The Lumberjacks didn't score in the bottom of the inning nor did the Oaks in the top of the seventh.

In the dramatic bottom of the seventh, ACC again trailed for the second straight game with elimination on the line. Rachow continued her hot hitting, leading off with a double. With one out, Kirsten Neubecker doubled to tie the game at four-all. She advanced to third on a wild pitch, then Tipman walked and advanced to second on defensive indifference. With two outs, Alaina Neubecker singled to score Kirsten and win the game in walk-off fashion.

Cousins Alaina and Kirsten Neubecker each had two hits. Jordan Ashley came on in relief and threw 1.2 scoreless innings to earn the pitching win.

The two victories were ACC's first ever softball wins in NJCAA Regional play. The Lumberjacks qualified for the playoffs in both 2021 and 2023 but were 0-4 in those appearances.