Jill Janke's sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth inning drove in the go-ahead run as Wisconsin-Eau Claire beat St. Thomas 5-4 in the third round of the NCAA Division III softball regional on Saturday in Eau Claire.
The Tommies (42-4), the defending NCAA Division III champions, saw their 27-game winning streak end. They face Wisconsin-Oshkosh today at noon, with the winner playing Eau Claire (31-11) at 2 p.m. If St. Thomas wins twice today, it will face Eau Claire again on Monday for the regional title.
Janke was 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Blugolds, who in 2005 ended the Tommies' 43-game winning streak -- the longest in Division III history.
• Kristen Fossell pitched a three-hit shutout as Winona State beat Minnesota State Mankato 3-0, advancing to the NCAA Division II North Central regional championship game today in Emporia, Kan. The Warriors (38-14) play top-seeded Emporia State (43-15) at 10 a.m.
The Mavericks, who beat Nebraska-Omaha 6-0 earlier in the day, finished the season 42-15.
Thunder beats Montreal Melvin Tarley scored in stoppage time at the end of the game, lifting the Thunder (3-1) to a 1-0 USL First Division victory over Montreal at James Griffin Stadium. Tarley headed a centering pass from former Montreal player Frederico Moojen just inside the post.
Etc. • St. Thomas won the men's and women's titles at the MIAC outdoor track and field championships in St. Paul.
• The Gophers-Michigan baseball doubleheader scheduled Saturday at Siebert Field was postponed. The teams will try to play a doubleheader today, starting at noon.
• The Saints and Grand Prairie were rained out at Midway Stadium. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader today beginning at 1:05 p.m.
• The Gophers' Brianna Sudenga and Natalie Neal were named to the Big Ten softball all-tournament team.
FROM STAFF REPORTS