Decatur, Ill. - A three-run fourth inning was the difference for top-seed DePauw as it defeated sixth-seed Mount St. Joseph in the opening game of the Decatur, Ill., Regional in the NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

The top-ranked Tigers moved to 35-2 with their 19th straight win, while Mount St. Joseph dropped to 30-9 as its 17-game win streak came to an end. The Tigers return to action tomorrow at 10 a.m. CDT to face the loser of today's second game between third-seed Millkin and fourth-seed Belhaven.

The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the second as Casey Bramble led off with a double, moved to second on Maiah Hodge's sacrifice bunt and scored on Gracie Woodyard's sacrifice fly.

The score remained that way until the bottom of the fourth when Drew Bratcher led off with a single and pinch-runner Olivia Jackson advanced to second when Becca St. Germain singled. Paige Price then laid down a bunt toward third and a throwing error on the play allowed both runs to score and Price to advance to second, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Kate Geary followed with a sacrifice bunt before Jade Mejia Wick made it 3-1 with a single to right.

Only one Mount St. Joseph player reached base over the final three innings against DePauw starter Cami Henry as she retired the final seven batters of the game.

Bratcher had two of DePauw's four hits as she also had a first-inning single. Bramble had Mount St. Joseph's only two hits of the contest.

Henry improved to 19-0 in the circle and struck out eight with just a first-inning walk. Sarah Miller dropped to 16-4 with the loss.

"It's about executing at the right time when those moments come up and not panicking," DePauw Head Coach Erica Hanrahan said. "And we've got a great pitcher to not let the score get out of control."

NOTES

• DePauw moved its all-time NCAA record to 34-25 in its 12th postseason appearance.
• The Tigers' 19-game win streak matches the second-longest in program history (2010, 2007) and trails the 2008 string of 37.
• Over her last 14 innings of NCAA play, Cami Henry has allowed just seven hits with 18 strikeouts and a 1.00 ERA.
• In her 12 starts this season, Henry is 12-0 with a 0.64 ERA (85.0 IP, 123 Ks, 19 BB, opposing hitters are batting .148).
• DePauw is now 8-4 in opening games of NCAA Regionals.
• The Tigers extended their streak with a stolen base to 15 straight games.