For the fourth consecutive season the Ashland University softball team will compete in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The NCAA announced the 2012 playoff field today (Apr. 30) and the Eagles are the third seed in the Midwest Region.
Ashland will play Bellarmine Friday, May 4, at Grand Valley State. The AU-Bellarmine game will be played at noon. At 2 p.m., that same day at GVSU the Lakers will play Saint Joseph's. Grand Valley State is the second seed in the region.
The four teams gathered at Grand Valley State will play through Sunday, May 6. This is a double-elimination tournament. The top seed in the region, Indianapolis, is hosting the other four-team tournament in the Midwest. The two tournament winners from this weekend will play next weekend on the home field of the highest seed. The Midwest Region winner will go to the eight-team NCAA Championships, which will be held in Louisville.
AU is 40-15. The Eagles went 1-2 at last week's GLIAC Tournament. AU and Bellarmine played a doubleheader on Feb. 25 at Bellarmine. Ashland won the first game that day, 7-3 and the Knights took the second game, 7-2. The Eagles did not play Saint Joseph's this season. Ashland went 1-1 against Grand Valley State.
Bellarmine is 32-27. The Knights went 21-15 in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) play.
More information on the regional tournament will be released later this week.
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