Greencastle, Ind. - DePauw jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, trailed 6-3 after two, but came back with five runs in the third and two in the fourth on the way to a 10-8 win over Hiram in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship game.

DePauw improved to 28-14-1 and captured its record seventh NCAC Tournament title, while Hiram finished with a  25-17 mark. The Tigers earned automatic qualification into the NCAA Division III Championship and will make their 14th appearance in the national tournament. The Division III Selection Show is scheduled for 11 a.m. tomorrow on NCAA.com.

DePauw's Macey Cox singled with one out in the top of the first and advanced to third on Katie Mathies' single. Emily Timberman followed with a three-run homer to center.

Abrianna Schwartz and Fayth Kawamura singled to start the Hiram first and Angel Santellan drove home Schwartz with a single. After Kylie Perez drew a walk, Daynna Mekaru brought home Kawamura after drawing a walk to make it 3-2.

The Terriers loaded the bases in the second as Larissa Baeza walked before Kawamura and Darian Kanno reached on errors. Santellan fouled out to right field, but Baeza scored on the sacrifice fly to even the score at 3-3. Perez then homered to center to give Hiram a 6-3 advantage.

Timberman led off the third with a single and pinch-runner Angelese Cruz moved to second on Ella Ohrvall's sacrifice bunt. Cruz then stole third and scored on Kelsey Bernhard's double. After Goose Moore walked, Bernhard and Moore stole third and second, respectively. Both came home when Alyssa Anderson reached on an error to even the count at 6-6.

Anderson moved to third on a wild pitch before Riley Heim doubled home Anderson. Heim advanced to third on a passed ball and came home when Ella Kuenster singled to make it 8-6.

Mathies ripped a solo homer to start the fourth and Bernhard doubled home Timberman who had earlier singled and stole second to extend the Tigers' lead to 10-6.

Hiram countered in the bottom of the fourth as Schwartz walked and Kawamura singled before Kanno advanced both with a sacrifice bunt. Santellan's grounder to first plated Schwartz.

Kawamurea singled with one out in the sixth and moved to third when Kanno reached on an error. Santellan's sacrifice fly closed the gap to 10-8.

Each team left a runner stranded and the Tigers won the title with a force out at second to end the game.

Cox and Timberman each had three of DePauw's 14 hits, while Kuenster, Mathies and Bernhard each had two. Kawamura had three of Hiram's seven hits.

Riley Depa improved to 11-5 with the complete game win, while Kanno dropped to 11-8.

2024 NCAC All-Tournament Team
Samantha Zungri, Wittenberg
Annabelle Calderon, Denison
Indy Workman, Denison
Daynna Mekaru, Hiram
Abriana Schwartz, Hiram
Ella Kuenster, DePauw
Katie Mathies, DePauw
Macey Cox, DePauw
P: Darian Kanno, Hiram
P: Riley Depa, DePauw
At-Large: Alex Romero-Salas, DePauw
MVP: Emily Timberman, DePauw