LAKEVIEW, Ind. - - The Madonna softball team opened its run at the 2008 NAIA Region VIII Championship with a 6-1 win over WHAC rival Indiana Tech. The win moves Madonna along in the winner’s bracket to face the other top-seed, the Bethel College Pilots at 10am on Wednesday.

INDIANA TECH – Region VIII Game Four (MU is away team due to coin flip)

The Crusaders and Warriors were scoreless until the top of the third when MU plated four runs to take a commanding lead it would not relinquish.

The royal and gold got things going with a Kelly Lesko (Trenton, Mich.) single to center and she was followed by a bunt single from Brittney Scero (Canton, Mich.) to put runners at first and second. Cat Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) cleared the bases with a double to center of her own to make it 2-0.

Sidor came home on a Tedi Johnston (New Boston, Mich.) double to left center to make it 3-0. It became a 4-0 game two batters later as Danielle Richardson (Flint, Mich.) hit a sac fly to left that scored Johnston and gave MU a 4-0 cushion.

The Crusaders added two more in the fifth as Scero led off with a double and scored on a Sidor single to make it 5-0. Sidor moved to second on a single by Johnston and both runners moved up on a Christina Finch (Albion, Mich.) sac bunt. Sidor came home on another Richardson sac fly for the sixth MU run.

Irwin allowed a run in the seventh, after hitting the lead off batter, but closed the door, getting the final three outs via strike outs for a 6-1 MU win. The freshman righty struck out eight on the day, allowing just three hits for her 26^th win of the season.

Scero had three hits while Johnston and Sidor added two more knocks each and Sidor had three RBIs. Brittney Miller had two of Tech’s three hits.

Madonna takes on fellow number one seed Bethel College at 10am on Wednesday. The winner moves to the 2pm championship game.