Alissa Gauthier's walk-off RBI single lifted No. 8-seeded Madonna University (Michigan) to a 1-0 victory against No. 9 seed Georgia Gwinnett College in Thursday's first-round game of the 2024 NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Georgia.

Gauthier's base hit to right-center field scored Ella Thomas in the bottom of the seventh inning.

GGC (32-16) stranded at least two baserunners in three of the team's first four offensive innings and 11 for the entire game. All three bases were full of Grizzlies with one out in the top of the sixth inning. However, Madonna pitcher Maeson Schlaud got back-to-back strikeouts to keep the game scoreless.

Junior Annalise Jarvis was equally up to the pitching challenge, limiting the Crusaders (53-4) to seven hits in the contest. The right hander struck out eight Madonna hitters. Regan Finkbeiner popped up to third base to leave a pair of base runners in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Grizzlies had the potential go-ahead runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh inning after junior Lindzie Owen collected a two-out single and classmate Haley Robinson was hit by a pitch. Schlaud once again pitched out of the jam by getting a fly out to center field.

That set up the possibility of the walk-off scenario in the bottom half of the frame.

Madonna's Gauthier's run-scoring single was the third consecutive hit for the Crusaders with one out in the seventh inning.

Georgia Gwinnett College was making its fourth trip to the NAIA World Series. The team will now play an elimination-round game on Friday, May 24, at 10 a.m.
  The Grizzlies loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth inning, but consecutive strikeouts by Madonna pitcher Maeson Schlaud ended that scoring threat. Conversely, Madonna converted a scoring situation in the bottom of the seventh inning following a walk-off RBI single from Alissa Gauthier – scoring the lone run of the game.
  Bottom of Fifth
Annalise Jarvis got Regan Finkbeiner to pop up to third base with two runners on base to end the frame
 
Top of Sixth
Maeson Schlaud got back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded to get out of the jam and keep the game scoreless
 
Bottom of Seventh
Alissa Gauthier hit a walk-off RBI single to right-center field for the only run of the contest
 

• The Grizzlies outhit Madonna by an 8-7 margin
• GGC left 11 base runners in Thursday's contest
• Freshman Morgan McQuagge recorded two hits for the Grizzlies
• Junior Lindzie Owen drew a pair of walks

• GGC drops to 32-16 on the season; Madonna improves to 53-4 this spring
• The Grizzlies were ranked No. 13 in the final NAIA Top 25 poll of the 2024 regular season; Madonna stood No. 11 in the same poll
• The team was the No. 9 seed in the World Series bracket; Madonna was the No. 8 seed
• GGC is making its fourth trip to the NAIA World Series

Georgia Gwinnett College will play an elimination-round game at the NAIA World Series on Friday, May 24, from Columbus, Georgia, starting at 10 a.m.