ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — The streak is over. Rock Valley College’s streak of eight straight national championships in softball ended Wednesday when the Golden Eagles were eliminated from the NJCAA D-II National Tournament in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The Golden Eagle’s previous eight titles came while competing at the NJCAA Division III level. This year they made the jump to Division II. As they discovered, and as they well knew beforehand, the competition was going to be stiffer.
RVC went into this tournament as the #7 seed. The Golden Eagles lost their opening game Tuesday evening to #10 seed Des Moines Area Community College 8-3. Then Wednesday morning they were knocked out of the double-elimination event when they lost to #15 seed South Suburban College 7-3.
Alison Hassett drew the starting pitching assignment for RVC Wednesday after ace Madison Carlson pitched Tueday night. Hassett gave up four runs in 1.1 innings pitched before being replaced in the circle. Hannah Martin went the next 4.2 innings giving up three more runs. Carlson worked the final inning.
RVC fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and again 5-0 before scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 5-3 game, but that was all the runs RVC could produce.
Molly Kable and Katie Hayes each had two hits for RVC.
