UNO 6, MWSU 5

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Lauren Larson's two-out solo home run in the sixth inning broke a 5-5 tie and sent the UNO softball team to the MIAA Softball Tournament Championship Game with a 6-5 win over top-seeded Missouri Western on Saturday at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex.

Larson capped her 3-for-4, three-RBI day with a blast over the centerfield wall in the bottom of the sixth for the 6-5 lead, then Lindsey Slocum, who came on in relief of Beth Haley, picked up her 14th win of the year by finishing off the Griffons in the top of the seventh.

The third-seeded Mavericks (44-9) will meet the winner of Saturday night's Missouri Western-Fort Hays State game at 9 a.m., on Sunday. UNO is the only undefeated team left in the tournament field, and will have to be beaten twice on Sunday.

The 21st-ranked Mavericks used a four-run first inning to jump on the Griffons early. Molly Feichtinger drew a walk to begin the bottom of the first, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sarah Elliott. Larson then began her big day by singling home Feichtinger, who just beat the tag at the plate. Katelyn Hinton followed with a single to centerfield to move Larson to third, then Amber Lutmer scored Larson on an error by the third baseman to make it 2-0.

After Ashley Lynch walked to load the bases, Emma Wright drew a walk to score Hinton, then Alli Hukill was hit by Jonnelle Belger's first picth to her, bringing home Lutmer for a 4-0 lead after the first.

However, Missouri Western's Taylor Anding knocked a grand slam to left field to tie the game at 4-4 in the third inning, forcing the Mavs to bring Lindsey Slocum on in relief for Beth Haley.

UNO reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Larson singled to right field to score Feichtinger from second on another close play at the plate to make it 5-4. But the Griffons answered on the first pitch in the top of the fifth when Toni Dance sent a bomb over the left field wall to make it 5-5.

In the bottom of the sixth with two down, Larson came through again for the Mavericks, sending her 10th home run of the season onto the grass hill in centerfield. The Mavs will play for the MIAA Tournament title for the third straight year tomorrow, but unlike the previous two years, their opponent will not be Emporia State. The Hornets were eliminated by Fort Hays State on Saturday afternoon. The last conference tournament title UNO won was the NCC Championship in 2008.