Greencastle, Ind. - Top-seed DePauw opened North Coast Athletic Conference Softball Tournament play with an 8-0 win over Wittenberg in five innings, but dropped a 3-1 decision to third-seed Hiram in the winner's bracket championship game.

The Tigers (25-14-1) face second-seed Denison in tomorrow's 11 a.m. elimination game. Denison knocked out Wittenberg with a 3-0 win in today's fourth and final game.

In the opening game against Wittenberg, DePauw took a 1-0 lead in the third as Emily Timberman singled home Ella Ohrvall. 

The Tigers ended the game with a seven-run fifth. Ohrvall's bunt single and an error on the play allowed Goose Moore to score before Ohrvall came home when Katie Mathies reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt.

Timberman then followed with a two-run homer to make it 5-0. The Tigers loaded the bases before Paige Brady and Caitlyn Summers drove in runs after being hit by pitches and Mathies drew a walk which scored Riley Heim with the game-ending run.

Ohrvall and Timberman each had two of DePauw's nine hits while three different Wittenberg players collected one hit each.

Riley Depa improved to 10-5 after striking out five without walking a batter and allowing just three hits. Kira van Ravensberg dropped to 8-9.

In the next game, Hiram's Abriana Schwartz singled in the fourth scoring Danielle Robles and Daynna Mekaru before Kylie Perez hit a solo homer in the fifth.

DePauw's lone run came in the seventh with Ella Kuenster scored on a wild pitch.

Mathies and Kuenster each had two of DePauw's seven hits, while Schwartz had three of Hiram's eight hits and Mekaru added two.

Alex Romero-Salas dropped to 11-5, while Trinity Meza improved to 7-2. Darian Kanno collected her third save.