Oxford, AL

#11 Sante Fe (47-16, 28-12, 2-1) squared off with #5 Seminole State (OK) (51-6, 23-1, 1-2) in an elimination game in the NJCAA DI Softball World Series in Oxford, Alabama held at Choccolocco Park. The Saints came into the game feeling good about their 6-3 comeback win the previous night, which began after a lengthy 8 hour weather delay. The Trojans entered the day with a game already under their belt, dropping a 9-3 game to #4 Temple College earlier in the day before the rain delay. The Trojans beat #12 Volunteer State 5-4 in their first game of the World Series on Monday. 

Santa Fe starts the day as the designated home team, with Belle Mancillas navigating a leadoff walk and a hit to record three straight outs to send the Saints up to bat in the bottom of the first. 

Molly Bender works a full count and is hit by the pitch to put the first runner aboard for the Saints. She steals second base for her 50th of the season before Sydney English hits a ball hard that nicks off the pitcher and gets by the second baseman to score Bender from second to put the Saints in front 1-0. 

Mancillas K's the first Trojan she sees in the second inning and retires the next two to keep the Trojans scoreless in two frames. 

Miranda Murch draws a walk to start the bottom of the second as Tegan Grizzard bunts her over. Rylie Blankenship walks before Molly Bender unleashes on a ball to left center for her 14th homerun of the year. McKenzie Cox keeps the rally alive as she doubles to the gap for her 20th two-bagger of the year but is stranded on the bases. 

Mancillas works around a hit in the top of the third to keep the Trojans scoreless through three trips to the plate 

The Trojans work a 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the third as the Saints go scoreless in their half for the first time this evening. 

Seminole State (OK) gets one back in the top of the fourth inning off two hits as Santa Fe defense helps themselves to cut a runner off a third to keep runners out of scoring position. 

Santa Fe batters are retired in order in the fourth as the score holds with the Saints in front 4-1. 

Mancillas turns around and strikes out two batters in the 5th inning to hold the Trojans scoreless for the fourth time in five innings. 

Pitching from both dugouts stayed strong as McKenzie Cox singled but was stranded at first as both teams headed into the 6th frame.

The Trojans were able to put two runners into scoring position and score both as one is plated on a ball that got by English behind the plate and the other on a sacrifice fly to right field. 

Santa Fe is unable to answer and provide any insurance runs as they head to the top of the 7th up 4-3. 

Tegan Grizzard walks but is thrown out at second with two outs to end the threat for Santa Fe as the Trojans take the sticks with three outs to score at least one run to force the bottom of the 7th. 

Mancillas slammed the door in the circle for her second complete game of the World Series, throwing a final line of 7 innings, 6 hits, 3R, 2BB, and 6 strikeouts. 

The Saints will face a familiar opponent as they will play Eastern Florida State College for the 6th time this season. The Saints hold a 3-2 game advantage vs the Titans; taking 3 out of 4 games during the regular season and dropping the B Bracket Semifinal game in the 2026 FCSAA DI Softball Championship. 

The teams will square off at the Jacksonville State University Softball Complex at 11:15am CT in an elimination game. The game will be streamed live for free on the NJCAA Network. You can follow along here: https://www.njcaa.org/network/live