Jackie Mangola's grand slam lifts No. 4 Softball past No. 15 DePauw (Ind.) in championship game of NCAA III Regional Tournament

Jackie Mangola

By Tim Glon

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GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- Top-seeded and No. 4-ranked Ohio Northern won the NCAA III Central Regional Tournament championship with a 4-1 victory over second-seeded and No. 15-ranked DePauw (Ind.) in the championship game Sunday afternoon at DePauw Softball Field.

Jackie Mangola drilled a grand slam home run and Cortney Cash threw a 4-hitter as to lead the Polar Bears (39-4), who now advance to the NCAA Tournament Championships May 15-19 at Montclair, N.J.

The Tigers end their season at 31-9.

Northern will be making its first NCAA III Championships appearance and is in its fifith NCAA Tournament and just its first since 1994.

Jackie Mangola's grand slam broke a scoreless tie and give the Polar Bears a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning.

The dinger was her team-best seventh home run of the year and the second of the NCAA Tournament.

Liz Decima singled with one out, Tina Mangola doubled her to third and Danielle Goubeaux coaxed a two-out walk to load the bases, setting the tbale for ONU's second grand slam in the tournment.

Cash celebrated her 21st birthday in style, improving to 28-2 on the season with her five-strikeout, 4-hit complete game victory.

The Tigers got a run back in the bottom of the third when Rachel MacBeth led off with a double to right-center, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a sac fly in foul territory to left field.

DePauw mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh. After Cash had retired 11 consecutive batters, Rachel Gill led off the inning with a single to left. One out later, Ashlee Anton singled up the middle to put runenrs at the corners.

Cash struck out Kelly Schwerzler looking for the second out. and struck out Carolyn Bartlett to end the game and send the Polar Bears to the NCAA Championships.

A second game on Sunday was necessary as DePauw knocked off ONU 4-0 earlier on Sunday afternoon, giving the Polar Bears their first loss of the double-elimination tournament.

Northern downed DePauw 5-3 in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon, giving the hosts their only loss of the tournament.

Jackie Mangola, Decima, Tina Mangola, Goubeaux and Cash were named to the All-Tournament Team.