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Richardson, Texas – The Concordia University Texas softball team will make its second straight appearance in the American Southwest Conference Tournament, which will be held at Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park in Lewisville, Texas from Thursday, Apr. 28 through Saturday, Apr. 30. The Tornados, who are seeded third in the West Division, will face Texas-Tyler, the second-seeded team in the East Division and 16th-ranked squad in the nation, in their first game of the double-elimination tournament on Thursday at 12 p.m.
A free live audio broadcast of all Concordia's games will be available for Tornado fans with Sports Information Director Matthew Chmura calling all of the action. All games in the double elimination tournament will also be available for all ASC fans through live statistics, while Saturday's championship game will also be available to follow through live audio. All links can be found on the conference's website, www.ASCsports.org.
This year's event will have a new look as all games will be played on the same field (Gold).
Defending national champion East Texas Baptist (32-6) and Mary Hardin-Baylor (28-12) each received first-round byes because of winning division titles. Head coach Janae Shirley's Lady Tigers went 17-5 in league play to claim their sixth all-time East Division title and enter the tourney as winners of eight of their last 10 ballgames. ETBU has also won five ASC championships (2000-04). First-year head coach Larry Hennig's Cru (28-12) went 21-3 in conference play to win their sixth West Division title and fourth in the last five seasons. UMHB put together an 11-game winning streak from March 25-April 9.
UMHB will open at 5 p.m. Thursday against the winner of East No. 2 seed Texas-Tyler (31-9, 17-7 ASC) and West No. 3 seed Concordia Texas (23-17, 15-9 ASC), who get the tourney underway that day with a noon first pitch. ETBU will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against the victor of West No. 2 seed Hardin-Simmons (23-17, 17-7 ASC) and East No. 3 seed Mississippi College (29-11, 16-8), who are scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. tilt.
Friday's slate begins at 11 a.m. with an elimination game followed by another win-or-go-home game at 1:30 p.m. Winners bracket play gets going again at 4 p.m., with a third elimination game of the day following at 6:30 p.m.
An elimination game gets Saturday's action going at 11 a.m. with the winner advancing to the championship game at 1:30 p.m. If a second and deciding title game is needed, it will follow after a 30-minute break.
Concordia (24-16), which is making its fourth overall appearance in the league's postseason event, enters the week having recently split a pair of home-and-home twinbills against Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Tornados qualified for the tournament with a 2-0 victory over the Cru on Thursday, Apr. 21 in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Old Settler's Park and became the first West Division team to defeat Mary Hardin-Baylor a second time when they knocked off the first-place squad by a 5-3 decision on its home field a day later.
Jessica Rattan is leading the Tornados in practically every offensive category, including batting average (.454), runs scored (32), hits (44), doubles (16), triples (3), home runs (6), RBI (30), total bases (84), slugging percentage (.866), walks (24), on-base percentage (.561) and stolen bases (6). The shortstop had the game-winning hit on a triple against Mary Hardin-Baylor on Senior Day, propelling the Tornados into the tournament.
Lauren Vansickle, a junior outfielder who is hitting .331 on the season and .429 in conference play, had the team's hottest bat in the Mary Hardin-Baylor series. She went 6-for-9 with a double and one run batted in. Freshman
Jordan Berry is hitting .333, while sophomores
Meghan Ferrell and
Erin Duhon have driven in 27 and 22 runs, respectively.
Concordia has arguably produced the best 1-2 pitching tandem in the ASC, as
Teylor Schiefelbein and
Kat Moreno are the only two teammates to be ranked among the league's top 10 in earned run average. Schiefelbein, a true freshman, is 12-7 overall with a 1.97 ERA this season. She has thrown four shutouts, including a no-hitter two weeks ago at Howard Payne, and has fanned 53 hitters while walking 31 in 124.1 innings of work. Moreno is 10-9 overall after winning her last start against the Crusaders. The sophomore has 87 strikeouts, which ranks sixth in the ASC, and has allowed 105 hits over 125.1 frames while blanking two opponents.
Teshia Krause, who has a 1.94 ERA, is the squad's top reliever.
Texas-Tyler (31-9), Concordia's first opponent in the tournament, moved up to 16th in the latest NFCA Division III National Poll released earlier today after sweeping Mississippi College by 10-2 and 11-6 decisions at home on Saturday. The Patriots have relied on the league's second-best offense to find success and are hitting .353 as a team. Brittani Hanna and Lauren Robenalt are hitting .446 and .425, respectively, while Joey Cronin and Brittney Batten are also hitting over .400. Batten and Whitney Wyly are tied for the ASC lead in home runs with 11 each are among five players who have gone yard at least six times. Katelyn Thomas and Stacy Shepherd have been splitting the starting duties in the circle and has earned run averages of 2.59 and 2.70, respectively. Thomas also boasts a 12-6 record with three shutouts and nine complete games in 16 starts.
Game Information (Thursday, Apr. 28)
11:50 a.m. Pregame
12:00 p.m. Concordia vs. #16 Texas-Tyler
*4:50 p.m. Pregame
*5:00 p.m. Concordia vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor
*If Concordia beats Texas-Tyler, the Tornados will face Mary Hardin-Baylor on Thursday at 5 p.m. If Concordia loses to the Patriots, its next game will be on Friday, Apr. 29 at 1:30 p.m.
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NOTES: This is the second straight year the tournament will be held at Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park. . . . This is the 13th all-time ASC softball tournament. . . . The East Division has won nine ASC titles, with the West claiming three. . . . East Texas Baptist and Mary Hardin-Baylor are tied for the most all-time appearances in the tournament with 12. . . . This year's event features two teams ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Poll: East Texas Baptist (No. 5) and Texas-Tyler (19). Mississippi College is receiving votes. . . . Defending conference champion Louisiana College (28-10, 15-9 ASC), which is ranked No. 13 in the country but just missed qualifying for this year's event, had appeared in six straight title games, winning three (2005, 08, 10). . . Texas-Tyler has reached the ASC championship game the last three years. . . . The ASC has had a team reach the national finals the last three seasons. . . . Mary Hardin-Baylor has two Lewisville, Texas, natives on its roster: senior pitcher Erica White and junior outfielder Jordan Giesen. Both graduated from Lewisville High School. . . . Admission prices will be: $5 for adults (age 18 and older), $3 for children (age 6 through high school) and $3 for ASC students (with valid ID). Children under age 5 will not be charged. No complimentary passes will issued. . . . No animals are allowed at the softball field area (a dog park is located near by). Also forbidden are coolers, glass bottles, alcohol and tobacco products. . . . Directions/Lodging information:
http://www.ascsports.org/documents/2011/4/19/ASC%20SB%20Trny%20FAN%20Guide%202011_04-08-11.pdf?id=1639 . . . Official tournament short-sleeved T-shirts will be available for $15, while souvenir programs will be available for $1 each (cash or check only).
2011 AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
April 28-30 / Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park (1301 S. Railroad Street) / Lewisville, TX
All games played on Gold Field
Thursday, April 28
Game 1: Texas-Tyler vs. Concordia Texas, Noon
Game 2: Hardin-Simmons vs. Mississippi College, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: Mary Hardin-Baylor vs. UT TYLER/CTX winner, 5 p.m.
Game 4: East Texas Baptist vs. HSU/MC winner, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 29
Game 5: Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3, 11 a.m.
Game 6: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 4, 1:30 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 4 p.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
Saturday, April 30
Game 9: Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 11 a.m.
Game 10 (Championship): Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9
Game 11: If necessary, start 30 minutes after Gm. 10 conclusion
Sunday, May 1 for Inclement Weather, if needed.
