By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Normal, IL---The No. 8-ranked Express softball team defeated Mineral Area College (Mo.) 7-2 moments ago to advance to the Elite 8 of the NJCAA Div. II National Tournament winner's bracket.

Behind a complete game seven hitter from Jordan Ratliff (Summerfield/Petersburg, Mich.) and 11 hits on offense, the Express advanced to face No. 6-ranked Heartland Community College (Ill.) in the next round, which will be played at 4 p.m. today.

Michelle Hollister (Airport/Newport, Mich.) had a tremendous day offensively, as the only time she didn't get a hit was when the Mineral Area's centerfielder caught a ball at the warning track and fell over the fence in the fourth inning.

She finished 2-for-3 with two singles, two runs and two RBIs. Ashleigh Whitacre went 1-2 with two RBIs and a single. She executed two sacrifice bunts, one of which led to a run.

Owens jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Hollister single and scored two batters later on a single to left center by Whitacre.

Then, in the fifth, Owens added three more on RBI singles from Alaina Haubert (Gibsonburg/Gibsonburg, Ohio) and Lindsey Bandeen (Springfield/Holland, Ohio) and an RBI groundout by Allison Hausch (Bryan/Bryan, Ohio).

Mineral Area answered back with a run in the top of the sixth, but the Express answered right back with three more of their own. Kelley Molloy (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) and Bridget Wolfe (Bellevue/Bellevue, Ohio) hit back-to-back singles leading off the inning before Hollister knocked them both home with a two-run single.

Whitacre then provided the final Owens run via groundout to make it 7-1. Mineral Area added a run in the top of the seventh, but Haubert turned a 5-3 double play to end the game.

Ratliff is now 19-2 on the season. Other offensive performers for Owens were Kristen Roznoski (Cardinal Stritch/Toledo, Ohio), who went 2-for-4 with a run and Haubert, who went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Alex Perry took the loss for Mineral Area (36-17).