ST. LOUIS — University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh won the NCAA Division III St. Louis Regional with a 2-1 victory over host institution Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) at WashU Softball Field on May 16.
UW-Oshkosh (33-8-1) advances to play Belhaven University (Miss.) (40-10) in a best-of-three-game super regional May 21-22. One game will be played Thursday before the super regional winner will be crowned Friday. Venue and game times are yet to be announced. The eight super regional winners will vie for the national championship at the World Series on May 28-June 3 in Salem, Va.
UW-Stevens Point represented the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in NCAA Division III softball regional action in Winona, Minn. The Pointers lost their opening game to Saint Mary’s University (Minn.) 5-1, and were eliminated after a 1-0 loss to Bethany Lutheran College (Minn.). UW-Stevens Point completed the 2026 campaign with a 30-15 record and won the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver’s). The Pointers were appearing in NCAA action for the third straight season and 10th time in program history.
People are also reading…
Against WashU (30-7-1), the Titans were trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Haylie Wittman drilled a two-run double to the wall in left-center field that provided the difference with one out during the home half of the fourth frame.
The game was scoreless before a nearly three-hour rain delay with two outs in the bottom of the third inning and UW-Oshkosh runners at first and second bases.
WashU opened the scoring with a run in the top of the fourth frame on a Julia Nicholus two-out single that plated Kristina Donaldson.
UW-Oshkosh responded immediately during the home half of the fourth inning as Emma Bohn and Morgan Miller recorded consecutive one-out singles. Wittman then crushed a 1-2 pitch to the gap in left-center field to score both Bohn and Miller with ease.
The stellar UW-Oshkosh defense made another one-run lead hold, especially during the top of the fifth inning, when WashU opened the frame with back-to-back singles with the top of the Bears order coming up.
Bohn, the Titans shortstop, erased the lead runner on consecutive groundballs in the hole on the left side, tossing to third baseman Olivia Ullman for the first out and then shoveling the ball to Ullman after scooping up the next grounder two pitches later. UW-Oshkosh relief pitcher Grace Nardi eventually won an eight-pitch battle with the Bears' No. 3 batter, Kristina Donaldson, inducing a flyball to right field to retire the side and maintain a 2-1 lead.
Nardi went on to set down the last nine WashU batters of the contest, clinching the regional title with a swinging strikeout.
Brianna Bougie (7-4) collected the win for the Titans in the pitcher's circle, allowing one run on two hits during the fourth inning in relief of starter Kiran Sanford, who exited the contest following the lengthy rain delay. Sanford tossed three scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits while registering a pair of strikeouts.
Nardi notched her fourth save of the year and fifth career after going the final three innings in scoreless fashion. She allowed two hits and struck out one.
Wittman concluded the day 2-for-3 with a double and a stolen base.
Wittman was named the Most Outstanding Player at the St. Louis Regional, while Bougie and Nardi joined Wittman on the St. Louis Regional All-Tournament Team.
UW-Oshkosh opened regional competition with a 1-0 decision in 12 innings over Illinois College and followed with a 2-1 victory over WashU before the championship game win over the Bears.
