Saint Francis Claims First-Ever CL Tournament Title with Walk-Off Win

Crossroads League Championships Central

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - For the first time in program history, the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) softball team claimed the Crossroads League Tournament title with a walk-off 5-4 win over Spring Arbor University in eight innings on Friday, May 1 at Westendorf Field.

Saint Francis, the No. 2 seed, battled No. 5 seed Spring Arbor before earning the 5-4 win to clinch the tournament championship and secure the program's first-ever bid to the NAIA National Tournament. 

SF and SAU played through four scoreless innings before Saint Francis broke through in the fifth. Paiton Iliff delivered an RBI single before Abby Robakowski followed with a three-run inside-the-park home run to give the SF Cougars a 4-0 lead.

Spring Arbor answered in the sixth, using an RBI single and a three-run home run to tie the game at 4-4.

Neither team was able to drive in a run in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, Iliff drew a four-pitch walk to bring in the game-winning run and secure the tournament title.

Saint Francis recorded eight hits and drew six walks. Robakowski went 2-for-3 with an inside-the-park home run, three RBI, and a run scored. Sam Baker and Lillian Pierce each went 2-for-4, with Baker scoring a run and recording her 50th stolen base of the season. Iliff finished with two RBI and a sacrifice bunt.

In the circle, Ellie Sauder got the start, striking out three while allowing three runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. Olivia Fuentes earned the win in relief, striking out two and limiting Spring Arbor to two hits over 2.2 innings.

Saint Francis improves to 36-11 and will await seeding for the 2026 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Rounds, which will be announced on Wednesday, May 6, at YouTube.com/PlayNAIA.