KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Geneva College softball team's offense exploded for 11 first-inning runs on Wednesday afternoon against Oakland City in an elimination game of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri, with the inning capped off by a grand slam from senior Julia Hart.  The Golden Tornadoes cruised the rest of the way to an 11-1 victory in five innings.  The win, Geneva's 30^th of the season, moves the Golden Tornadoes into the NCCAA Semifinals tomorrow.

Today's game was a very different story than Geneva's game against Oakland City yesterday.  In that game, the Golden Tornadoes managed just two hits through the first six innings against Oaks' starter Morgan Shipley before rallying for a 4-2 extra-inning victory.  In today's game, though, Shipley could do nothing against the Geneva offense as the two teams battled some early rain.

The first eight Golden Tornadoes reached base to start the onslaught.  Freshman Molly Shelley started the inning with a single, and sophomore Lexi Zanic doubled to put two runners on.  Shelley scored on a wild pitch, while Zanic scored on a single from Hart.  Sophomore Justine Robbins then singled, which brought the end of the day for Shipley as Oakland City made a pitching change.

The new pitcher did little to slow things down.  Sophomore Alex Guzman was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and then sophomore Madison Rapp walked to push in Geneva's third run.  A wild pitch scored Robbins, and sophomore Payton James singled to drive in Guzman for Geneva's fifth run.  Senior Elishea Reed then singled to reload the bases, prompting a second pitching change by Oakland City with no one yet retired.

Sophomore Kyra Wilcox was Geneva's first out when she grounded back to the new pitcher, who threw home for the force out to prevent a Golden Tornado run.  Shelley came back up to bat next, and she singled home two runners to make it seven runs.  Zanic followed with a single to reload the bases, and the Hart cleared them all with a blast over the centerfield wall for a grand slam, completing the offensive explosion.

Sophomore Sophia Tvaroch got the start in the circle, but after a couple early walks in the first inning while the rain was falling, Head Coach Van Zanic brought in sophomore Alena Campbell in relief with the big lead, and Campbell got out of the jam with one pitch on a line drive that Zanic snared at shortstop and then doubled off the runner at second base for a double play.

Campbell breezed through the next three innings, allowing just one hit as Geneva carried that 11-0 lead into the fifth inning.  Oakland City barely managed to avoid a shutout, scoring with two outs in the fifth to wrap up the scoring, 11-1.

Campbell moved her record to a perfect 5-0 on the season with 3.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Shelley and Zanic both finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, each scoring twice.  Hart went 2-for-3 with five RBIs, including the grand slam.

Geneva advances to the semifinal round with a 1:00 p.m. matchup against the winner of today's last game of the day between No. 1 Concordia and No. 2 Southwestern Christian.  Because Geneva is advancing out of the loser's bracket, the Golden Tornadoes will have to win three times tomorrow in order to win the NCCAA National Championship.