BELTION, Tx.- The No.2-ranked Berry Softball team only needed to win one game against Mary Hardin-Baylor to become regional champions on Saturday afternoon. Although they played two, the Vikings defeated Mary Hardin-Baylor 3-2 in dramatic fashion to move on to the super regional round of the NCAA tournament.
 
Game One: Mary Hardin-Baylor 8 Berry 7
The Crusaders tacked on three runs in the first inning and gained all of the momentum which propelled them throughout the remainder of the first game.
The Vikings were able to answer back in the third inning when Morgan Frye flew out to left field allowing Aleeya Thornton to score. In the bottom of the fourth, Katie Parker singled, scoring Paige Bennett, cutting the Crusader lead to one. But UMHB added five more on the board in the fifth and seventh innings, seemingly putting the game away.
            But Berry put up a fight in the bottom of the seventh turning what seemed like a sure win for the Crusaders into a nail biter. Frye drew a walk in a bases loaded situation to bring in Grace Hamilton. Katie White tallied an RBI on the day as she hit a sac fly to bring in Shelby Daniel for another run. Anna Jackson and Sydney Moroney both singled, adding on two more runs, but it wasn't enough to get the win. Hannah Gore (14-1) recorded her first loss of the season allowing five runs and recording three strikeouts. Madison Hollis relieved Gore in the circle, pitching two innings, allowing three runs and struck out one.
 
Game Two: Berry 3 Mary Hardin-Baylor 2
 
Frye hit a two-run homer in the third inning to put her team on the board first firing up the Vikings dugout. But the Crusaders answered in the fourth adding two runs of their own tying the final game at 2-2. In Berry's last chance to score, Parker drew a walk and was replaced with pinch runner, Elly Bennett. The Crusaders found two outs before Frye stepped up to the plate, and was intentionally walked. But it was White who delivered the final run when she doubled to send Bennett home.
            With two runners on and one out, the Vikings turned a double play advancing to the super regional portion of the national tournament.
            Casey Holloway started in the circle pitching four innings allowing two runs on four hits. Danielle Sudick earned the win for Berry, throwing the last three, allowing three hits, and no runs. The two combined for four strikeouts.

Anna Jackson, Katie White, and Morgan Frye were named to the all-tournament team. Hannah Gore was named tournement MVP. 
 
Berry continues their tournament run next weekend taking on Belhaven. Location and game times will be determined at a later date.