Three Remain in Contention for CAC Softball Championship
The cream has risen to the top of the 2026 Continental Athletic Conference Softball Championship, with top-seeded Georgia Gwinnett College, No. 2 seed Florida National University and No. 3 seed Westcliff University (California) remaining in contention after two days of competition at GGC's Grizzly Softball Complex.
Westcliff (21-22) won two games on Thursday to advance to the final round of the loser's bracket in the double-elimination tournament. First, the Warriors eliminated No. 5 seed Carolina University (North Carolina) with an 8-4 victory. Then, they got a strong pitching performance from Madison Mendez and productive hits throughout the lineup in defeating No. 4 seed Alice Lloyd College (Kentucky) 8-0 in five innings during the nightcap of the day.
In between, Georgia Gwinnett (28-22) advanced to the tourney's championship round with a 4-0 victory against No. 2 Florida National University (25-16). The team got a three-hit shutout from pitcher Tatum Helsom while Sara Roussel contributed three hits to help lead the Grizzlies to another tournament victory.
GGC awaits the winner of the loser's bracket finale between FNU and Westcliff, scheduled at noon on Friday, May 1. That championship-round game will follow at 2:30 p.m.
Another game, if necessary, would be played on Saturday, May 2, at noon.
The tournament champion will represent the CAC in the Opening Round of this year's NAIA national tournament.
Here are recaps of Thursday's games:
No. 3 Westcliff University 8, No. 5 Carolina University 4
The Warriors made the most of their eight hits, spreading eight runs across the first four innings to win a loser's bracket game that opened the second day of the postseason tournament.
Consecutive hits by Jasmyn Lara and Kayce Johnston brought home two of Westcliff's three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning that gave the team a comfortable 8-4 lead.
Reliever Nadia Carillo then kept Carolina (14-29) off the scoreboard for the final three innings to earn her second victory in the circle this season. Madison Mendez was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and scored two runs for Westcliff.
Meanwhile, Anni Bergmeier had two hits to lead Carolina's eight-hit attack – spread across seven players in the team's lineup.
No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett College 4, No. 2 Florida National University 0
The Grizzlies broke open a scoreless contest in the bottom of the fourth inning as a single, with two outs, from Brooke Rockhold brought home Enna Lackey from second base with the first run of the game.
Two more runs were added in the fifth inning – once again coming with two outs. First, Sophie Sisk smashed a triple to right field that brought home Reesie Burch, who started the productive frame with a double to left center field. Then, Sara Roussel followed with a key single up the middle of the field, scoring Sisk.
An insurance run came in the bottom of the sixth inning as a double from Molly Kemp scored Lackey, who had led off the frame with a single and advanced to second following a sacrifice bunt.
That's all the support that pitcher Tatum Helsom would need to collect her 11th victory of the season. The CAC's 2026 Freshman of the Year award winner allowed just three hits and had four strikeouts across a strong seven-inning performance.
Roussel paced the Grizzlies' 11-hit offensive attack with a perfect 3-for-3 day and one RBI. Meanwhile, Sisk and Lackey each collected two hits. Extra-base hits were recorded by Sisk (the important run-scoring triple), Kemp (double) and Burch (another double).
Alisha Lanyon had two of FNU's three hits in the game. Her productive day featured a double and stolen base.
No. 3 Westcliff University 8, No. 4 Alice Lloyd College 0 (5 Innings)
The Warriors scored four runs in first inning and added four more tallies in the fourth frame to support Madison Mendez's strong pitching performance and staying alive in the loser's bracket of the tournament.
Mendez allowed just two hits and none after the second inning to post her eighth victory of the season. She helped her own cause with two hits and scoring a run.
A two-RBI double by Rachel Varela down the left field line followed an unearned run that gave Westcliff an early 3-0 lead. Sara Ellerton's sacrifice fly scored the fourth run of the first inning.
The lead would double in the fourth inning following Alyssa Patlan's double to right center field, a run-scoring ground out and a single by Emma Avelar that brought home the eighth run of the game.
Patlan had two hits, scored two runs and drove in another two runs for the California team.
Meanwhile, 2026 CAC Player of the Year Arin Rife and Whitney Lippert had the only two hits for Alice Lloyd (35-14).