Salem Va. - Kelsey Bernhard's two-run homer in the top of the seventh of game 10, an elimination game of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship Finals, lifted top-seed DePauw to a 3-2 win over seventh-seed St. Thomas (Minn.) and into Sunday's winner's bracket finals against second-seed Virginia Wesleyan.

First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. with the Tigers needing to win twice over the Marlins to advance to the best-of-three Championship series. The victory came after DePauw dropped a 7-4 winner's bracket contest against fourth-seed Texas Lutheran.

In the win over St. Thomas, the Tommies struck first with a single run in the third as Annie Naughton led off with a single and moved to second on Nicole Pieper's sacrifice bunt before Coryn Jacobson delivered a two-run double down the left field line.

DePauw evened the count in the top of the fourth as Becca St. Germain hit a two-out, solo homer to left. Bridget Armstrong led off the St. Thomas fifth with a walk and later came home when Jacboson tripled down the right field line.

Grace Smith led off the top of the seventh by reaching on a passed by on the third strike and moved to second on Kate Geary's grounder. Smith was called out at third attempting to advance on pinch-hitter Kaylyn Linder's grounder to third. Down to the last out and trailing, 2-1, Bernhard drilled a 1-0 pitch over the fence slightly to the right of center field.

Kenzie Miller had a one-out pinch-hit single in the bottom of the seventh, but was forced at second when Pieper reached on a fielder's choice. Jacbobson drew a walk and Sam Birling was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Much of the game was played in rainy conditions and the umpires pulled the teams off the field briefly before Megan Baniecke flew out to Jade Mejia Wick in left to end the game.

Bernhard had two of DePauw's four hits including her second homer of the season. Jacobson had two of the Tommies' six hits. 

Cami Henry improved to 24-1, while Kierstin Anderson-Glass dropped to 18-5. DePauw improved to 40-4, while St. Thomas ended its season at 33-10.

In the day's first game, DePauw jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first as Bernhard and Paige Price each singled to start the bottom of the inning and St. Germain advanced each with a sacrifice bunt. Smith then brought both home with a two-out double to center.

The Tigers pushed the lead to 3-0 in the third as Drew Bratcher led off with a single and pinch-runner Goose Moore moved to second on Smith's ground out. Moore then stole third and, on the next pitch, scored on Geary's squeeze bunt.

The Bulldogs took the lead in the fourth as Skylar Ouellette and Laura Hernandez each singled and advanced a base on Chassety Raines' ground out. Haley Padilla put Texas Lutheran on the board with a single before Sarah Metzer reached on an error that allowed Hernandez to come home. The Bulldogs took the lead with two outs when Kelly Jurden hit a ball down the left field line that glanced off Mejia Wick's outstretched glove.

DePauw knotted the score in the fifth when Bratcher doubled with one out and moved to third when Smith reached on an error. After Geary was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Mejia Wick lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Bratcher.

Padilla drew a two-out walk in the sixth and Metzer clubbed a two-run homer down the right field line. The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the seventh as Rebecca Snow singled with two outs, moved to third on Ouellette's double and scored on an error on the relay throw. 

Bratcher had two of DePauw's six hits, while Ouellette and Hernandez each had two of the Bulldogs' eight. 

Henry suffered her first loss of the season in 25 decisions, while Sydney Oullette improved to 16-2 and Ashlyn Strother recorded her first save.

NOTES

• DePauw's 40 wins has matched the program record previously set in 2008 and 2010.
• The Tigers' postseason record now stands at 39-27 including 6-9 in NCAA Finals play
• After four 1-2 finishes at the NCAA Finals, the Tigers have won two for the first time in program history
• DePauw's 81 doubles this year are a school record