Bethany Ahrens threw a 121-pitch complete game to lead the Spring Hill College softball team to a 3-1 win over Fort Valley State University and into the 2026 SIAC Softball Championship title game.

Ahrens allowed just one earned run, giving up a solo shot in the fourth inning, while striking out seven batters to secure her second win of the tournament. The Badgers were limited to just six hits on the day, but they worked the count beautifully, drawing seven walks, for added base runners.

The 1-5 hitters each went 1-for-2 with six combined walks and accounted for both the 3 RBI and 3 runs scored for Spring Hill. Janci Aube scored twice, Jesslyn Gordon had one RBI and one run scored, and Ahrens had the other two RBI.

Fort Valley State had two runners on and just one out in the top of the first, but Ahrens worked out of the jam, getting a strikeout and a pop up to end the threat. Even that early in the game, that was enough momentum to get the bats juiced up and ready to go in the bottom half of the inning.

Aube led off the inning with a walk and then stole second. She moved to third on Oscha Carter's bunt single as the Badgers were in business with runners on the corners and no outs. Carter stole second to move into scoring position with Gordon up to the plate. Gordon ripped a single to center field, scoring Aube from third, but Carter, looking to make it 2-0 on the hit, was called out at home for the first out of the inning. Meadow Villar, up next, gave the ball a good ride out to right field, but it was caught and only moved Gordon up to third base and then Ahrens popped up to end the first with Spring Hill up 1-0.

Fort Valley State again had two runners on with one out, but just like in the first inning, Ahrens found another gear and shut it down, getting a fly out and a strikeout to keep Spring Hill in the lead. The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the third inning when the top of the lineup got to work yet again.

In a near mirror of the first inning, Aube walked to lead off the inning and then stole second. This time, however, Carter's bunt was a sacrifice instead of a single and Aube moved up to third with Gordon up. Gordon would walk and steal second before Villar walked to load the bases. Ahrens came through in the clutch to help herself out in the circle, knocking in two runs on a single to right field. That's where the scoring would stop as Spring Hill led 3-0 after three innings.

Ahrens lost her shutout with a leadoff home run in the fourth inning, but she left two Wildcats stranded and the Badgers continued to lead by 2.

Spring Hill left two runners on base in the fourth inning and had a golden opportunity to break the game open in the fifth inning, but could not capitalize on a bases loaded-one out situation. McKenzie King got the ball in the air to the outfield, but the throw was right on target and just in time to catch Villar at home for the inning ending double play.

Ahrens continued to deal and after a clean sixth inning, she came back out for the seventh inning to close out the win. She got the lead off hitter to hit a routine ground ball to the second baseman, then finished off the 1-2-3 inning with a pair of strikeouts, the last of which brought some emotion out of the pitcher, to give Spring Hill the 3-1 win.

The Badgers advance to the 2026 SIAC Softball Championship title game tomorrow, April 30th. Barring any weather delays, the game is set for 12 p.m. CT.