Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – In dramatic fashion, the Regis Rangers won the 2024 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Softball Tournament on Saturday, May 4. The Rangers got a walk off single from catcher Rachel Williams in the seventh inning to take a 4-3 victory over defending tournament champions Colorado Christian. The Cougars advanced to the championship game for a fourth consecutive time after knocking off Metropolitan State University of Denver in Saturday’s first game of the day.
 
#2 Colorado Christian 4, #3 MSU Denver 1
Both programs created a rematch in the final elimination game that set the table for an action-packed day. With two outs in the top of the third inning, Kaila Eastburn launched a big-fly to straightaway center field to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. They would not relinquish the lead, adding on two more on a Logan Menzies two-RBI single in the fifth. In just her third start this season, Elyse McMullin went all seven innings, allowed one run and struck out six. The grit and effort shown by the RMAC Freshman of the Year pushed the Cougars into the final game of the tournament for the fourth straight season.

#5 Regis 4, #2 Colorado Christian 3
The Cougars and Rangers squared off in the championship game, setting up another rematch and this one was once again worth the price of admission. Scoreless after two and a half frames, Regis took the lead in the third inning on four consecutive two-out hits that led to three runs scored. Miia Campos’ RBI triple and Morgan Norris’ one-run double highlighted the scoring deluge. The Cougars got one of those runs back the next half inning to cut into the Rangers lead. Tournament MVP Vanessa Candito got McMullin to strike out to end the fourth, which closed her outing in the game. Candito was solid in the circle, before passing off the ball to Kylie Harpman. The sophomore had to work through traffic in the final three innings and got some great help from her defense.
 
However, it was her defense that unfortunately gave CCU a chance to tie. The Cougars’ backstop, Cheyenne Stark, hit a high flyball into center field that was lost in the sun, allowing two runs to score and knot up the score. The score remained even as the game entered the bottom half of the seventh. Emma Duncan started her fourth inning in relief with a strikeout, but allowed Regis’ leadoff hitter, Olivia Wick, to single. Campos walked to push the winning run into scoring position and set up catcher Rachel Williams to be the hero. Williams roped a line drive into right field, sending Wick around third and was in safely ahead of the throw to send the Rangers’ fans and dugout into a frenzy.
 
Regis went undefeated through the RMAC Tournament, notching their sixth tournament title in the process. For the first time since 2015, the Rangers hold the automatic qualifier into the 2024 NCAA Division II Softball Championships. Regis will await their spot in the national bracket, during the selection show on Monday, May 6 at 8 a.m. MT. The Cougars, Roadrunners and the rest of the RMAC will also find out their postseason fate on Monday.