Former Eastern Connecticut Conference softball standouts Alexis Michon and Cassie Woods transferred to Trine University in Indiana last year with the goal of winning a national championship.

Mission accomplished.

Receiving valuable contributions from Woods and Michon, Trine rallied from a game down in the best-of-three championship series to capture the program’s first NCAA Division III title on Wednesday in Marshall, Texas.

Trine completed the comeback by beating Salisbury, 6-2 and 1-0, after dropping the series opener, 4-2, on Tuesday. The Thunder (46-6) set a program record for wins in a season.

Both Michon and Woods, who graduated from Montville and Fitch, respectively, made the all-tournament team.

Michon came out of the bullpen to record the final two outs in the first game on Wednesday, earning her program-record tying sixth save, and Woods, a starting outfielder, doubled and scored a run from the leadoff spot.

In the deciding final game, Michon (13-1) pitched a two-hit shutout, walking two and striking out five while going the distance. She escaped a bases loaded jam in the first inning and cruised from there.

“I just went in knowing that a national championship is on the line,” Michon said in a story on the Trine website. “People sometimes say it’s just another game, but sometimes it’s really not. When you have such a big opportunity to win something special you have to dig deep and lock down. And that was my goal.”

Woods and Michon, the Division III national pitcher of the year in 2022, were teammates at Eastern Connecticut State University last season before transferring to Trine.

Another former Eastern teammate and transfer, Carolyn Biel of Wallingford drove in the championship clinching run with a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning in a dramatic 1-0 victory. It was only her fifth hit of the season.

Biel caught the final two games of the championship series, teaming up with Michon to help win the title.

“Michon is the ultimate competitor,” Biel said. “She pitched her heart out. It was great to catch for both of the games and I can’t thank coach enough for the trust to let me do that.”

Woods finished her softball career by batting .400 this season with 16 doubles, three triples and 29 RBI in 51 games. She led the team in runs scored with 49.

Michon has two years of eligibility remaining.

g.keefe@theday.com