CLEVELAND, Ohio – In a moment that will be etched in program history, freshman Mary Brant blasted a walk-off two-run home run in extra innings, propelling the RMU softball team to their first-ever Horizon League Championship title with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne.
 
With this dramatic win, the Colonials reach the 30-win mark for the season (30-16 overall) and are headed to the NCAA Softball Tournament for the first time since 2005.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Courtney Poulich continued her incredible power surge in the playoffs, hitting her third home run in as many games. With two outs in the bottom of the first, she launched her 15th homer of the season to right-center, giving RMU an early and crucial 1-0 lead.
 
What followed was a tense pitcher's duel between RMU's Madison DeVault and Purdue Fort Wayne's Alanah Jones, with neither team able to score from the second through the sixth innings. RMU's defense shone brightly, highlighted by an impressive 6-3-5 double play in the top of the sixth.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne finally broke through in their last chance in the top of the seventh. Grace Hollopeter singled to the gap in right, scoring two runs and giving the Mastodons a 2-1 lead. However, the Colonials quickly limited the damage, throwing out Hollopeter at second to keep it a one-run game.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, redshirt freshman Sequoia Dunlap stepped up with the biggest hit of her young career, smashing a solo home run over the left field wall to tie the game at 2-2. Her clutch homer kept RMU's championship hopes alive and forced extra innings.
 
After holding Purdue Fort Wayne scoreless in the top of the eighth, Poulich drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning, setting the stage for freshman hero Mary Brant. Brant delivered a historic moment, crushing a two-run home run over center field to walk it off for a 4-2 victory, securing RMU's first Horizon League Championship title.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• In a tightly contested game, RMU outhit Purdue Fort Wayne 6-4. The Colonials left five runners on base, while the Mastodons stranded eight.
• RMU drew two walks, while Purdue Fort Wayne had five.
• Mary Brant led the Colonials with two hits, and Courtney Poulich scored a team-high two runs.

 
FROM START TO FINISH
Senior Madison DeVault was the workhorse for the Colonials throughout the entire tournament, pitching every inning and earning all three victories. Across 21 innings, she recorded an impressive 17 strikeouts and allowed just six earned runs, boasting a stellar 2.00 ERA.
 
BRANT'S CHAMPIONSHIP-CLINCHING BLAST
Freshman Mary Brant has been impactful all season, and her 11th home run of the year will forever be remembered as the one that sent RMU to the NCAA Tournament. Playing first base, Brant has been a force in the middle of the Colonials' lineup, hitting .367 with 38 RBI on the season.
 
POULICH'S PLAYOFF POWER DISPLAY
Redshirt junior Courtney Poulich was a dominant offensive force throughout the tournament, hitting a home run in each of the three games. In her seven career playoff games, she has now tallied five home runs and 10 RBI.
 
Her solo shot in the championship game broke the program's single-season RBI record, as she now has 52 on the year, and she continues to extend her single-season home run record to 15.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Courtney Poulich was named the Most Valuable Player of the #HLSB Championship. Joining her on the All-Tournament Team were her teammates Madison DeVault, Mary Brant, and Alaina Koutsogiani.
 
PERFECT POSTSEASON RUN
RMU becomes the first team since Oakland in 2022 to go undefeated in the Horizon League postseason, finishing the tournament with a perfect 3-0 record. Their dominant run included two walk-off victories in extra innings and a mercy-rule win over Purdue Fort Wayne in the semifinals – the first program to achieve a mercy-rule victory in the #HLSB Championship since 2017.
 
30-WIN SEASON
Under the leadership of Head Coach Jexx Varner, the Colonials have reached the 30-win mark for his second time, with the 2022 team posting a 31-21 record.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Today marks a historic achievement for the RMU softball program, claiming their first Horizon League Championship and their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2005. In program history, the Colonials have also won six NEC Tournament Championships and eight NEC Regular Season Championships.
 
QUOTABLE – HEAD COACH JEXX VARNER
"I'm extraordinarily proud of what this team has accomplished," said Head Coach Jexx Varner. "From our freshmen to our seniors, everyone made a significant impact. This core group of seniors has had unfinished business since their freshman year when they were runners-up in the championship. The depth of this team has been phenomenal all season, and it all led to this incredible moment."
 
"Mary had been hitting the ball hard all week, and it was only a matter of time before she connected for a big one," Varner added. "She's the Co-Freshman of the Year for a reason. She's been a monster in the middle of our order all year long."
 
Reflecting on the championship victory, Varner stated, "You walk away with a championship, and there's no better feeling. I'm flashing back to all the moments leading up to this and thinking of all the alums who have poured their heart and soul into this program. This championship belongs to the entire RMU softball family – our players, families, parents, and alums who have been amazing and helped build what RMU is. Their support has been so special."
 
UP NEXT
The 2025 NCAA Softball Selection Show will air on Sunday, May 11 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN2. A total of 64 teams will qualify for Regionals, with four teams participating at 16 different regional sites in a double-elimination tournament.
 
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