The Temple College Leopards fought their way out of the loser's bracket on Friday and Saturday to play the Northeast Alabama Community College in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Softball JUCO World Series Championship on Signature Field at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.

The Leopards bolted out to an early lead, but were countered with a huge third inning that was the deciding factor in NACC's 7-3 win over Temple.

With one out in the top of the first, Jasmine Benavidez doubled and Reese Cottrell singled Benavidez to third base. On a 2-1 belt-high fastball, Kaiyah Ratu drilled the pitch over the left field wall to give Temple a 3-0 lead.

The Leopards continued to threaten to score in the inning when Izzy Garcia singled, Rylee Litchfield reached on a fielder's choice, and Angie DeLeon singled. However, a strikeout ended the threat, which kept the Leopards' lead at three runs.

Temple (58-8) kept the lead until the bottom of the third inning, when NACC (58-4) plated six runs, highlighted by a two-run single by Marti McClusky, RBI single by Francesca Lumpp, and three-run homer by Emmorie Burke.

Burke added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to increase the Mustangs' lead to four runs. NACC pitcher Addison Edwards retired 15 of the last 18 Leopards she faced, although eight of the outs were well-struck pitches near the warning track.

The Leopards collected six hits in the game, all by different players.

Garcia (29-2) took the loss in the circle, having pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowed five runs on three hits, a hit batter, and walked two. Cottrell pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief, allowed two runs on five hits, and walked one.

Lumpp had two of the Mustangs'eight hits, with Burke's four runs batted in leading the way.

Edwards (34-0) completed a perfect season in the circle with a complete-game victory. In seven innings, Edwards allowed three runs on six hits, while she struck out four and walked two.

Pitcher Izzy Garcia, catcher Kaiyah Ratu, and first baseman Reese Cottrell were named to the NJCAA D-I JUCO College World Series All-Tournament team.

The Leopards went 5-2 at the College World Series, having earned NJCAA National Runner-up honors. In 66 games this season, Temple hit .378 with an on-base percentage of .448, clubbed 138 doubles, 35 triples, 62 homers, drove home 474 runs and scored 529 times. Sunday's game was the final in the Temple College careers of Jasmine Benavidez (Jarrell, TX), Marli Kennedy (Plano, TX), Lexi Dudeczka (Salado, TX), Maycee Griffin (Tularosa, NM), Angie DeLeon (Belton, TX), Reese Cottrell (Franklin, TX) and Dalanee Ekster (Cypress, TX).