Normandy, Mo. - Catcher Casey Ward lifted a sacrifice fly to left in the top of the 11th inning for the only run of the game as No. 7 seed Maryville won a terse 1-0 game over number three seed Wayne State Friday in the winner's bracket of the NCAA Regional Tournament at the UMSL Softball Field. With the victory, the Saints advanced to Championship Saturday starting at Noon and can claim the NCAA Midwest Region #2 title with one win.
 
In the 11th inning, Alex Flasch singled to center field, and Sheridon Sprague came on as a pinch runner. Krystal Rock put down a sac bunt to move Sprague to second and then took third base on a wild pitch. On a 1-1 count, Ward hit a high sac fly to left as Sprague sprinted home with the game-winning run. In the bottom of the 11th, the Warriors got a two-out single but Wendy Macias struck out the final batter to cap a sparking six-hit complete-game shutout.
 
Neither team generated much offense and only had one hit apiece through the first three innings. The Saints had the best early chance with an error and fielder's choice putting two runners aboard in the top of the fourth inning. Wayne State opted to intentionally load the bases and the decision paid off as the Saints hit into an inning-ending double play to keep the game scoreless.
 
After a one-out walk, the Warriors recorded just their second hit of the game, and a hit batsman loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth. Macias bore down and recorded a punch out and a fly out to center to escape the jam.
 
In the top of the sixth, Ashley Marks reached on an error, and Courtney Ferguson put down a sac bunt to move her into scoring position. After a hard line out to center, Wayne State's second baseman snared a shot up the middle off the bat from Macias to end the threat.
 
The Warriors pushed a runner to second in the bottom of the sixth inning with one out. Macias notched a strikeout, and Ward recorded a crucial defense play when she threw out a potential base stealer at third base to keep the game scoreless into the seventh.
 
The Saints had another chance to score the first run of the game with the bases loaded in the eighth but Wayne State wriggled out of the jam. The Warriors had opportunities to win the game in the ninth and tenth but Macias and the Saints defense would not buckle and set up the extra-inning drama.
 
Macias notched seven strikeouts and forced Wayne State to leave eight runners aboard. She won the pitcher's duel to pick up her 22nd victory of the season. WSU's Lyndsay Butler was outstanding in the circle and limited the Saints to just four hits. The game was the longest of the season for Maryville.
 
The Saints improve to a school-record 39-14, while dropping No. 10 ranked Wayne State to 47-8.