MACOMB, Ill.--Andi Padilla and North Dakota State University worked out of bases loaded jams in the last two innings to defeat Western Illinois University 3-2 to claim the Summit League Softball Championship and advance to the NCAA Division I Tournament on Saturday, May 9, before 245 spectators at McKee Stadium.

North Dakota State (35-18) will find out where and who it plays when the NCAA's 64-team tournament field is announced at 9 p.m. Sunday May 10, on ESPNU. NDSU will host a Watch Party at Buffalo Wild Wings, 1515 19th Ave. N., in Fargo.

"Andi (Padilla) stepped up for us and did a great job. I'm proud of Andi, not only for what she did this weekend but all season long," said NDSU head coach Darren Mueller. 

"This was something we have been working hard for since we began the transition to Division I six years ago. Western Illinois has a tremendous program and we knew it would be extremely tough. I'm proud of what our players accomplished."

Padilla (23-10) earned the tournament MVP award, particulary over the final two innings of the second championship game. She went 3-1 over the weekend with a 1.52 earned run average  in 27.2 innngs pitched.

North Dakota State rallied from a 1-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bison took advantage of an error, a Breanna Konz RBI single, along with a sacrifice flys from Melissa Chmielewski and Kelly Cantrell.

The Westerwinds (34-19), which came through the loser's bracket, loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth. However, Padilla forced a pop out and then received one of several impressive plays from left fielder Elisa Victa.

Victa moved toward the left field line to snare a line drive and then rifle a throw to catcher Cantrell to nail a WIU baserunner at the plate.

Western Illinois cut the deficit to 3-2 and had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh before Cantrell snagged a foul pop-up and Victa caught a medium deep fly out in left field.

The Westerwinds, the defending tournament and this year's regular season champion, came blistering through  the loser's bracket riding the arm of pitcher Kamren Ferguson.

WIU beat Centenary 9-0 on Friday and edged Southern Utah 5-3 in 10 innings in the loser's bracket final Saturday before forcing a second championship game. Ferguson fashioned a three-hit 1-0 shutout in the first game against the Bison.

Western Illinois won the game on a Jamie Goss' two-out single up the middle in the seventh. Like Padilla, Ferguson pitched each inning for the Westerwinds.

2009 Summit League All-Tournament Team

Colleen Biebel, Western Illinois
Kristina Brooks, Southern Utah
Kelly Cantrell, North Dakota State
Julie DePolo, Western Illinois
Kamren Ferguson, Western Illinois
Caroline Fernandez, Southern Utah
Lauren Furgala, Western Illinois
Breanna Konz, North Dakota State
Taylor Lynn, North Dakota State
Bonnie Matak, Centenary
Katie Matthews, Centenary
Andi Padilla, North Dakota State (MVP)
Jenavieve Purcell, Southern Utah
Elisa Victa, North Dakota State