Houston, TX - The University of St. Thomas' softball team earned a hard-fought 1–0 victory over the University of the Ozarks in a tightly contested defensive battle. The Celts relied on timely execution and strong pitching to secure the shutout win.  With the victory, the Celts improve their overall record to 21-5 and are now 19-2 in conference.

Both teams were locked in a pitcher's duel from the first inning, with neither side able to generate sustained offensive momentum. St. Thomas consistently put pressure on the bases but was unable to break through early, but the Celts' defense held strong to keep Ozarks off the scoreboard.

After a scoreless battle through five innings, St. Thomas broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Viviana Vargas sparked the rally with a single to left field, and Ana Zozaya was hit by a pitch to give the Celts two baserunners. Pinch runner Avery Pinz advanced into scoring position following a wild pitch, while Vargas moved to third.

With runners in scoring position, Kianah Johnson delivered the decisive play, hitting a sacrifice ground out to third base bringing Vargas home and give the Celts a 1–0 lead.

St. Thomas remained composed defensively down the stretch, holding Ozarks scoreless in the final inning to preserve the narrow victory.

Up Next

The Celts look to continue the momentum as they prepare to travel to Longview, TX for their next contest.  They are slated to face the YellowJackets on Thursday, April 2, at 6PM.