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Posted: May 30, 2024

Rock Valley secures first Region 4 Division II championship, join Bryant & Stratton at national tournament

Rock Valley secures first Region 4 Division II championship, join Bryant & Stratton at national tournament

MOLINE, ILL. & SPARTANBURG, S.C. - With the number of Division II teams competing in Region 4 continuing to grow, the Region 4 Division II Softball Tournament took on a different format in 2024. And when the dust settled on four quarterfinal tournaments and a double-elimination championship tournament, top-seeded Rock Valley College had earned its first region crown since ending an incredible run of nine straight at the Division III level. After the Golden Eagles secured their banner in Midwest District A, second-seeded Bryant & Stratton College won the consolotion championship to claim Midwest District B. Natalie Lower of RVC was named the Region 4 Tournament MVP, while Darin Monroe earned Region 4 Coach of the Year honors. (Recaps: Rock Valley | Bryant & Stratton)

Rock Valley College survived a four-team quarterfinal with wins over #16-seed Carl Sandburg College, and back-to-back victories over #8-seed Black Hawk College. A week later, the Golden Eagles outlasted #5-seed Madison College in an instant classic marathon with a 4-3 victory in 14 innings to start the Region 4 Tournament. The victory came with a two-out, two-run rally in the 14th to earn a walk-off win. In the championship game against #3-seed Kankakee Community College, RVC used a three-run first inning to propel themselves to a 7-2 decision to clinch a return trip to the national championships. 

Bryant & Stratton College, meanwhile, used a win over #15-seed Highland Community College and two victories against #10-seed South Suburban College in the quarterfinal tournament to reach the final four-team field at Black Hawk College. The Bobcats, however, fell in the semifinal round with an 8-5 setback to #3-seed Kankakee Community College, and were forced to play an elimination game against the #5 WolfPack. A lopsided 10-1 victory in five innings set up a rematch with the Cavaliers in the consolation championship, and BSC blanked KCC by a 3-0 score to earn an automatic berth to the national tournament.

At the 2024 NJCAA Divison II Softball World Series in Spartanburg, South Carolina, from May 20-25, Bryant & Stratton College, ranked #15 in the final NJCAA Division II Poll, was awarded the #12 seed, while Rock Valley College, winners of eight consecutive NJCAA Division III national titles, opened as the #13 seed. The Golden Eagles dramatically got by #20-seed Lake Michigan College with a 2-1 walk-off win in the First Round. In the Second Round, RVC and the Bobcats played with an opportunity to square off in the third round with wins; however, only Rock Valley was able to pull that off. The Golden Eagles upset #4-seed Jones College with a 4-1 decision. Bryant & Stratton lost a 9-3 game to #5-seed Louisburg College, dropping BSC into the losers bracket and an elimination game with #18-seed St. Louis Community College. The Bobcats were unable to generate any offense in a 3-0 shutout, ending their season with a 39-8 record. Rock Valley took their crack at Louisburg in the quarterfinals, but came up short with a 3-0 final. Hoping to extend their stay with a run through the consolation bracket, RVC answered with their second walk-off victory in the tournament with a 4-3 decision against #7-seed Phoenix College. Unfortunately, the run ended in the next round with a 10-2 run-ruled loss to #2-seed Copiah-Lincoln Community College to finish their season at 34-15.

Region 4 Midwest District All-Tournament Team
Natalie Lower - Rock Valley College
Alison Hassett - Rock Valley College
Chloe Wamboldt - Rock Valley College
Briella Sendele - Rock Valley College
Lizzy Wesoloski - Bryant & Stratton College
Holly Lowenberg - Bryant & Stratton College
Carissa Heisdorf - Bryant & Stratton College
Koralie Morin - Kankakee Community College
Marguerite Brown - Kankakee Community College
Kendall Weik - Madison College

Region 4 Midwest District All-Tournament Team
Natalie Lower - Rock Valley College

Region 4 Coach of the Year
Darin Monroe - Rock Valley College

(Images courtesy of Rock Valley College Athletics and Bryant & Stratton College Athletics)