FAYETTE, Mo. - The No. 4 IU Southeast softball team was defeated 6-0 by No. 1 Madonna in game one of the Fayette, Mo., bracket in the 2026 NAIA Softball Opening Round.
Madonna opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a leadoff home run to take the early lead. One frame later, the Grenadiers made a push, getting a pair of baserunners on with a chance to answer.
Grace Stapleton was IU Southeast's first baserunner after drawing a one-out walk. Two at-bats later, Lillian Mackey recorded the Grenadiers' first hit with an infield single to put two on with two outs. A strikeout in the next at-bat left two on, and the Grenadiers came up empty handed.
The Crusaders padded their lead in the fourth. Madonna scored two runs after an RBI double and an RBI single, respectively, with two outs. The Crusaders held a 3-0 lead after four innings.
IU Southeast's next push came in the sixth after a leadoff single by McKenzie Walters. Ava Allen checked in as a pinch runner and was thrown out for the final out of the frame. Madonna tacked on three more in the bottom of the sixth and held on for a 6-0 win.
The Grenadiers struggled mightily at the plate today, scoring zero runs on three hits. Mackey accounted for two of the team's three hits in the game.
In the circle, Emma Davis pitched 5.2 innings and allowed five runs on six hits and struck out four Crusaders.
Despite the loss, the Grenadiers are still alive but will move to the loser's side of the bracket. IU Southeast will play again Tuesday at 3:30 PM EST in game four of the Fayette, Mo., bracket.
