KOKOMO, Ind. - Earlham secured the 2026 HCAC Softball Championship on Sunday at Kokomo High School, splitting a pair of games with Transylvania and clinching the title with a dramatic walk-off victory in the deciding contest.

Transylvania claimed the opener, 2–0, using timely offense in the third inning and a complete-game shutout in the circle. Earlham was limited to two hits but stayed resilient heading into a winner-take-all second game. The Pioneer's win, coming from the loser's bracket, forced the Game 11 "If" game to decide the champion. 

In the championship decider, Earlham responded with timely hitting and determination. The Quakers scored four runs in the third inning to build an early lead, highlighted by a three-RBI double. After Transylvania regained the advantage late, Earlham mounted a seventh-inning rally and sealed the conference title on a two-RBI walk-off double with the final score of 6-5. The victory capped a hard-fought championship run and delivered Earlham the 2026 title, which is the program's first.

The HCAC recognizes an All-Tournament Team and an MVP of the Softball Tournament. That team, selected by tournament officials, can be seen below.
 
The Quakers earn the HCAC automatic qualification bid to the Division III NCAA Tournament. They will find out their draw in the tournament on Monday.

2026 HCAC Softball All-Tournament Team:

Name	School
Morgan Cooksey (MVP)	Earlham
Macie Ferguson	Earlham
Reagan Gibson	Transylvania
Kailey Goetz	Transylvania
Grace Gronberg	Bluffton
Taryn Hampton	Bluffton
Shelby Hill	Earlham
Zoey Kugelman	Franklin
Avery Parsons	Transylvania
Shelby Rakosky	MSJ
Lizzie Willis	Manchester
Avery Wiltermood	MSJ

For more information on HCAC softball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.