MOUNT BERRY, Ga.- The No.2-ranked Berry College Softball team (41-5) found themselves in a familiar situation during game two of the 2023 Mount Berry Super Regional. A year ago during the 2022 Super Regional, game one came down to extra innings without any runs on the board. Now a year later in the ninth inning of game two, Berry Softball experienced some deja vu. What was different however, two newcomers, Casey Holloway and Lauren Cothern, helped their team punch their ticket to the 2023 DIII Women's College World Series in Marshall, Tx with a 1-0 victory.
 
The Viking defense held down their home turf all day. Shelby Daniel and Paige Bennett turned a double play in the first inning backing up Danielle Sudick in the circle. Both teams were able to put runners on but no one found home plate for eight innings. Berry loaded the bases in the seventh but wasn't able to find anything, sending the game to extras.
 
Sudick pitched five lockdown innings allowing only two hits and only walked two. Holloway, who earned the win, relieved Sudick for the remainder of the game allowing three hits, and striking out two.
 
"It was very exciting to see us come out as we've done throughout the year, have a solid pitching staff, and have a solid performance and have incredible defense behind it," said head coach Jessica Strong.
 
In the ninth and final inning, there were two outs on the board when Katie White gave the offense life tacking on a single, which was her 70th hit of the season. Anna Jackson followed suit with a single herself which brought up designated player, Cothern. On the first pitch she hit a stand up double to score White putting Kay Williams Field on their feet.
 
"It was amazing, I feel great. I did it for my seniors because they deserve to be there again," said Cothern.
 
With three outs left, Holloway reentered the circle. Belhaven put two runners on with two outs, but Bennett made the final out, catching the pop up to send the Vikings back to the world series.
 
"Our defense is ridiculous, no matter what pitch I throw the defense is always going to have my back, " said Holloway.
 
This is the second consecutive season the Vikings will make a world series appearance.
 
The win is the teams 41st of the season, which sets a new program record for amount of wins in a season. The last team to reach 40 wins was back in 2017.
 
"I really believed from day one when I was given the opportunity to take over this team that we had something special. We've grown together along the way. It wasn't always rainbows and butterflies but in the long run you put in the work from day one and you get the results at the end, it feels sweeter and tastes sweeter because of what you put into it" said Strong. '
 
Berry will head to Marshall, Tx. June 1-7 for the final stretch of their season.