OXFORD, Ala. - Indian River State College defeated No. 1 seed and top-ranked McLennan (Texas) Community College twice on Saturday to claim the NJCAA Division I Softball World Series Championship. 

The championship is Indian River State's first since 2002. 

Entering Saturday's final day, McLennan had lost just twice in 63 games and handed the Pioneers an 8-0 loss less than 24 hours earlier. 

Indian River State survived its first elimination game of the tournament, beating Temple (Texas) College, 2-0, to earn another shot at the Highlanders. 

Trailing 4-3, Presley Smith's two-run single put the Pioneers in front. They added a run in the top of the seventh then survived a harrowing final three outs. 

McLennan loaded the bases with just one out then pulled within a run following a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. With the tying run at third and the winning run at second, Indian River State pitcher J'dah Girigorie induced a fly out to center and a pop up to third to end the game. 

Having survived game one, Girigorie and the Pioneers rode the wave of momentum into the winner-take-all finale. 

Girigorie pitched a six-hit shutout to cap off her 14-inning day in the circle and an unearned run in the top of the first proved to be all the offense the Pioneers needed. 

Girigorie was named both the tournament's Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Pitcher. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Smith, Cassidy Patterson and Adrianna Portanova, Northwest Florida State College's Sophia Jones and Gyvan Hammons and Florida SouthWestern State College's Sietske Drijvers. 

The Pioneers' Dale Atkinson was named Coach of the Tournament. 

The FCSAA has now won four straight National Championships - Florida SouthWestern won in 2021, 2022 and 2023.