Softball starts NCAA playoffs with 4-1 victory

W, 4-1

at Simpson (W), May 13, 2010

Senior Marta Radcliffe threw a complete-game three-hitter and struck out eight as No. 23-ranked St. Thomas scored a 4-1 win over No. 15-ranked Simpson in Thursday's NCAA regional softball game in Indianola, Iowa.

Player pic The Tommies (38-6), who ran their winning streak to 18 games, advance to Friday's 6 p.m. winners' bracket game against second-seed Illinois Wesleyan, which held on to edge Fontbonne 3-2.

Becky Eischens had a solo homer and a single to lead a five-hit attack, and Radcliife went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Since April 1, Radcliffe is 18-0 with a 0.47 ERA. Radcliffe allowed a solo homer by Kelsey Castenson with two outs in the last inning to lose the shutout. That was the first Simpson runner to get past second base.

PHOTO: Marta Radcliffe

UST scored two runs in the fourth inning in a rally started by Sydney Marquardt's double. Eischens led off the fifth inning with a solo home run. The Toms added one more run in the sixth.

Earlier on Thursday, top-seed Linfield scored a 13-5 win over Chicago in five innings, while fourth-seed Claremenont Mudd topped Central 8-4.

Click here to access live stats on the 7 p.m. Illinois Wesleyan-Fontbonne game:

http://www.simpson.edu/livestats/

Click here to access live audio by Simpson radio:

http://www.kedb.fm/

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Team Stats

Eischens

Marquardt

Tondryk

Radcliffe

University of St. Thomas Athletics