ADRIAN, Mich. — Junior Maggie Molnar was dominant on the mound and junior All-Americans Kimi Blewett and Jackie Mangola provided just enough offense to lead Ohio Northern to a 3-0 victory over No. 24-ranked Trine (Ind.) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament at the AC Softball Field.

The Polar Bears (27-12) advance to the second round and will face No. 16 DePauw (Ind.) Friday at 2 pm.

Trine (27-12) moves into the loser's bracket and will face D'Youville (N.Y.) in an elimination game Friday at 10 am.

Molnar (7-6) threw a 1-hit shutout, striking out six and walking three, and did not allow a TU batter past second base in her second shutout of the season.

Blewett and Mangola collected four of ONUs five hits, including run-scoring knocks as ONU scored three times with two out in the top of the seventh frame to snap a scoreless tie.

Trine pitcher Andi Gacso (17-8) took the loss despite striking out 13 batters and allowing just five hits.

Blewett finished 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and Mangola was 2 for 3 with a triple and walk to lead the Northern offense.

"The key was our patience at the plate," ONU head coach Kim Burke said. " Maggie (Molnar) threw a great game. We did not ever hang our heads early, because we were keeping them in check, too. We knew Gasco was an outstanding pitcher, but I thought we could eventually have some success if we stayed patient and we did that."

"Kimi (Blewett) called a great game and our defense was perfect," Molnar said. "We did not panic early, because we've been there before - where we start slow and hit better late. It was a great game and we are excited to get the win."

Gasco was without question the story early, as she dominated the first four innings.

After freshman Christin Miller drew a walk to lead off the game and sophomore Alia Brodie sacrificed her to second, Gasco blew away the Polar Bears, striking out the next nine batters with her blazing fastball.

Blewett's one-out double down the right field line in the fourth inning snapped the strikeout streak and seemed to give life to the Ohio Northern offense.

Mangola followed with her school-record 34th walk of the season, but Gasco got a strikeout and a groudout to end the threat.

Meanwhile, Molnar was keeping the Thunder offense under wraps. After yielding a two-out single in the second, Molnar kept TU off balance with a series of different pitches and locations and did not allow a hit the rest of the way.

Despite only having only two 1-2-3 innings, she only allowed one leadoff batter to reach base and retired eight straight batters in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

ONU loaded the bases in the top of the fifth when sophomore Michelle Sweet led off with a walk and Miller and Brodie followed with back-to-back two-out walks.

But Gasco struck out Blewett swinging to end the threat.

Mangola led off the top of the sixth by ripping a triple off the base of the wall in right center field and ONU was threatening for the second consecutive inning.

Again Gasco kept the Polar Bears off the board with a ground out, a strikeout and a ground out to strand Mangola at third and keep the score at 0-0.

Junior Lisa Light got the game-winning rally underway by getting hit by a pitch with one out.

Miller followed by beating out an infield single to third base and Northern had runners at first and second.

After Brodie popped out for the second out, Blewett ripped a double past the TU third baseman and into the left field corner, scoring both Light and Miller, and it was 2-0 Polar Bears.

Mangola followed with a sharp single to right to score Blewett with an insurance run and make it 3-0.

Molnar did not allow a ball out of the infield in the seventh and ONU had won its third consecutive first round game in the NCAA Tournament.