DETROIT (7/23/2019) -- From July 10-23, DetroitTitans.com released the Top 10 Moments of 2018-19 as voted on by members of the Detroit Mercy athletic staff. Each day, a new moment was posted on DetroitTitans.com as well as on each of the Titan social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). We are now at the end of the countdown with the top moment of the year.
And that No. 1 #TitanTop10 moment of 2018-19 was the record-breaking and trophy-raising season from Titan softball, which won its first Horizon League Championship since 1992 and advanced to the program's first NCAA Tournament berth in school history during the 2019 campaign. It was Detroit Mercy's fifth Horizon League title overall (1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 2019).
The Titans, which won 31 games in 2019 under retiring head coach John Conway, was the No. 2 seed entering the Horizon League Championship and after dropping its second game to UIC, needed to win out to win the championship. The red, white and blue defeated Northern Kentucky, 4-1, in an elimination game to set up a re-match with top-seeded UIC in the finals.
Behind stellar pitching and defense, timely hitting and the arm of junior pitcher
Liz Murphy, the Titans topped previously unbeaten UIC twice in two elimination games on Saturday, May 11 defeating the Flames in consecutive games by 2-0 and 1-0 shutout scores. Murphy tossed a complete game shutout in game one with the offense provided in the first inning off a
Kori Keyes' two-run single. Murphy and the Titan defense did the rest, shutting down the Flames and allowing just three hits and five baserunners, while striking out five.
After a wait for a rain delay before the winner-take-all title game, the Titans again shut down the Flames offense with Murphy again tossing a complete-game, 1-0 shutout, scattering five hits and striking out five batters including two in the seventh inning. Detroit Mercy got its lone run in the fourth inning after seniors
Jordan Manno and
Courtney Gilbert hit back-to-back doubles. UIC threatened late in the game, but Detroit Mercy's defense was steady and Murphy got some timely strikeouts to help clinch the Titans' first conference championship in 27 years.
Detroit Mercy advanced to its first NCAA Tournament in program history (it wasn't an automatic bid the last time Detroit Mercy won in 1992). The Titans went to the Northwestern regional in Chicago, Ill. and dropped a pair of games, nearly winning over Southern Illinois in the Titans' second game of the weekend, falling narrowly by a 2-1 margin.
The Titans standout season was highlighted by many accolades and accomplishments including two Academic All-Americans in senior pitcher
Ashley Mauser and senior catcher
Jordan Manno. Mauser was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year and along with Murphy, swept the First Team All-League pitching spots as Detroit Mercy led the league with a 2.95 ERA. Head coach John Conway was voted the Horizon League Coach of the Year and Mauser was also selected NFCA Third Team All-Region. Gilbert, Manno, Mauser and Murphy were all First Team All-League, while freshman
McKenna Tanguay earned HL All-Freshman Team honors.
#TitanTop10: Moments of 2018-19
1. Softball Wins Horizon League Championship, Advances to First NCAA Tournament
2. Move Over Steph Curry, Davis Breaks NCAA Freshman 3-Point Record
3. Davis Sets Numerous Scoring Records
4. Kendell Closes Out Collegiate Career In Style
5. Titans Raise The Bar In Academic Achievement
6. Detroit Mercy Duo Dominate In The Circle
7. Wiley Dressell Qualifies for NCAA Fencing Finals
8. Antoine Davis Featured in Sports Illustrated
9. Gilbert's Walkoff Homer Propels Titans Past Oakland
10. Women's Soccer Streaks to Semifinals
