Softball Season ends after Seventh Inning Collapse – Lindenlink

Madisen Noll stands on deck as Anna Sanders takes an at-bat against Tennessee State.

Lindenwood softball (24-25) season came to an end on Thursday after a heartbreaking loss to rival SEMO (26-18) by the score of 4-3. Lindenwood was one out away from knocking off their arch rival and eliminating them from the OVC tournament when the Redhawks rallied in the bottom of the seventh to win. 

Avery Wapp was once again brilliant for the first six innings before things unraveled in the seventh and she was tagged with the loss, finishing the season 9-9, as her final line read 6.2 innings, four runs on 10 hits, four walks and two strikeouts.  

Hanna Johaninng was once again the star at the plate going 3/3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.  

SEMO got on the board first in the second as Gracie Luna tattooed a 0-0 delivery from Wapp for a solo homer to put the Redhawks up 1-0.  

The Lions offense would be kept quiet through the first five innings as Willow Van Haren only allowed two hits and a walk through the first five innings before the Lions finally struck in the sixth.  

After Van Haren retired the first two Lindenwood hitters in the sixth Jolie McMinn stepped up to the dish and whalloped a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left field tying the game at 1-1. The homer was McMinn’s sixth of the season. 

The bats stayed hot for Lindenwood in the top of the seventh. After Madison Noll flew out to open the inning, Dallis Darnell sparked the rally with a sharp single, putting the go-ahead run on base. That brought up Johanning, who delivered in the clutch, ripping a 2-1 fastball down the left field line for a stand-up double. Darnell raced around the bases, and a perfect relay from SEMO made it a bang-bang play at the plate. Initially called out, the play went to review, and the call was overturned, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead. 

Johanning advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Lauren Pelton stepped in and added to the momentum. On a 2-1 pitch, she laced an RBI single down the left field line to plate Johanning and give Lindenwood a crucial insurance run, pushing the lead to 3-1 heading into the bottom half. 

Just three outs away from moving on, the Lions turned to Wapp to close the door. She got the first batter to foul out to third, but SEMO wouldn’t go quietly. A double and a single put runners on the corners with one out. Hailey Burnett lifted a shallow fly to center for the second out, and Lindenwood stood one out away from advancing. 

Then came the collapse. 

Three straight singles from the Redhawks,including a heartbreaking blooper that dropped just inside the left field line — drove in three runs and handed SEMO a shocking 4-3 walk-off win. Johanning and Noll both converged on the final ball but neither made the play, and with it, Lindenwood’s season ended in dramatic, gut-wrenching fashion. 

The Lions will now return to St. Charles with a bitter taste in their mouths — but also a renewed fire. This tough ending could very well fuel next year’s campaign as they look to turn postseason heartbreak into motivation.