NAPERVILLE, Ill.- Behind pitcher Breezy Bannon’s complete game in her third start of the season, the No. 13-ranked St. Thomas softball team defeated North Central College 10-4 in the third game of a best-of-three series to advance to the NCAA Division-III Women’s College World Series in Tyler, Texas.

The Tommies will be playing in the College World Series for the fourth time in the program’s history, but first since 2006. Coach John Tschida said proper preparation is the key to the team’s success.

“Every year, I tell the girls that they may not get to play in the World Series, but they’ll know what it is like to practice like a national champion,” Tschida said. “So it’s rewarding to see all our hard work pay off like this.”

Bannon gave up four runs over her seven innings of work, limiting the Cardinals to just eight hits, and said getting to pitch in a winner-take-all game with a trip to the World Series on the line was something she took as a compliment.

“The confidence that coach showed in me to have me pitch this game means a lot,” Bannon said. “I wanted to do my best for the whole team, but especially for these seniors who have worked so hard and set such a great example.”

Shortstop Jenna Hoffman said the chance to play in her first College World Series as a senior is the culmination of four years of hard work.

“This group of seniors has grown so much together, and we know we put in the work and supported each other through it all,” Hoffman said. “We all know that we have the support of the girls that came before us too.”

The Tommies won back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005, and were runners-up in 2006. Hoffman said the past success of the program helps to inspire the team toward its ultimate goal.

“We try to think of things one year at a time, but we also recognize all the great teams and players that came before us,” Hoffman said.

After falling behind 4-1 in the third inning, the Tommies answered with a five-run fourth. After first baseman Erin Mussett led off the inning by lacing a single to left field, designated hitter Brenna Walek lined a two-run home run to right field off Cardinals pitcher Vlasta Mangia to cut the lead to one.

Walek said Mangia was favoring her curveball throughout the first three innings and knew she would get a good one to hit at some point.

Following singles from left fielder Kirstin Bigelbach and third baseman Mary Rentz, the Tommies took the lead for good on Hoffman’s single that scored both runners. Later in the inning, Hoffman scored on a Cardinals fielding error to make the score 6-4.

The Tommies capitalized on a fielding error by North Central in the fifth inning, and added to their lead. Walek reached on an error by the shortstop to lead off the inning and was replaced by pinch runner Annie Boyer. A single by Bigelbach was followed by an RBI single to center from Rentz that scored Boyer. The Cardinals center fielder misplayed the ball off the bounce, allowing Bigelbach to score and Rentz to reach third. Rentz later scored on an RBI groundout from second baseman Meg DuPuis to push the lead to 9-4.

Tschida said the team’s play in the pressure-packed game gives him confidence going into the College World Series.

“This series definitely gave us thick skin and made us more warrior-like going into the upcoming games,” Tschida said. “If it was easy and we didn’t go through this, we wouldn’t know how to play and control our emotions when times get tough and the games get close.”

The Tommies will begin play in the NCAA D-III Women’s College World Series when they face Salisbury University on May 22 at UT-Tyler Ballpark.

Tom Pitzen can be reached at pitz2014@stthomas.edu.