Greencastle, Ind. - Denison pitcher Sarah Herold pitched her second shutout of the day and the Big Red forced the "if necessary" game of the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament with an 8-0 win over DePauw. Denison improved to 22-18, while DePauw dropped to 29-13. The two teams meet in the championship game just after 3 p.m. today.

Denison took a 1-0 lead in the first when Kerry Hager singled with two outs and Lauren Secaras followed with a single that took a sharp hop and ricocheted off of DePauw shortstop Gabby Smart's shoulder. A wild pitch allowed Hager to score from third.

The Big Red added five in the second as Mckinkly Vazquez led off with a single up the middle. Marlie Mounts then reached on a fielder's choice when the play on the lead runner was not in time. Emily Lipsitz loaded the bases with a single down the right field line.

Vazquez scored from third when a pickoff throw to second went into center field. Rooney was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hager was hit by a pitch with two outs, allowing Mounts to score and Secaras followed with a base clearing double to make it 6-0.

Vazquez led off the third with a walk and Mounts followed with a double before Anna Balch drove in a pair with a single to left to push the lead to 8-0.

DePauw totaled just two hits off of Herold as Elizabeth Getz and Julia Waggoner had one each. Secaras had three of Denison's nine hits and drove in three.

Herold improved to 5-0, while Kahla Nolan dropped to 15-8.