UT-Tyler Athletics
Ryan Shumaker
DENVER, Colo. – No. 1 UT Tyler finished the 2022 season as NCAA Division II National Semifinalists after falling by a 9-3 final tally to finish with a record of 2-2 at the 2022 NCAA Division II World Series.
The Patriots stood as one of four remaining teams in the double-elimination eight-team bracket in the program’s first trip to the NCAA Division II World Series in the program’s first season of postseason eligibility at the Division II level. UT Tyler completes their 2022 campaign with a 49-9 overall record, and claimed the South Central Regional Championship and Lone Star Conference Regular Season Championship on their way to the World Series appearance.
Rogers State will advance to the best-of-three championship series on Monday and Tuesday in Denver with a perfect 3-0 record in the tournament following the win over UT Tyler.
The Patriots jumped ahead early with an RBI single from senior Ashley Perez, who finishes her career as one of the most decorated position players in the history of UT Tyler softball. Rogers State answered with four runs in their next trip to the plate, and would maintain that lead for the remainder of the contest.
Sophomores Courtney Plocheck and Amanda Marek each hit a solo homer in the second and third innings to cut the lead to just one at 4-3, but the Hillcats were once again able to respond with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to pad their lead back out to 7-3.
A weather delay of over an hour in the top of the fifth inning allowed UT Tyler to reset, grounding the Hillcats into a double play on the first pitch of the restart, but couldn’t manage to claw their way all the way back into the ballgame. Rogers State tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning to punch their ticket to the championship series.
Perez and Marek each finished the ballgame 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI, while Plocheck and senior Shannon Klaus finished with the other two Patriot hits in the ballgame.
UT Tyler completes the first season of Division II postseason eligibility as undoubtedly one of the top programs in Division II softball, and will return a load of talent for the 2023 season.