MVC Softball Tournament

[flyingMoose]

Tournament Central

The tournament begins Thursday at 1105am with the Shockers facing Southern Illinois. It is a single-elimination, double-bye tournament. After the Shockers game, the 6-7 seeds play. The winners of those two games then play the 3-4 seeds later on Thursday. The 1-2 seeds do not play until Friday when they meet the Thursday winners. Then the championship game is on Saturday.

[1972Shocker]

If the Shocks defeat SIU they face UNI at 4:05pm. While I wouldn't put any money on the Shocks to advance to Friday's game against #1 Creighton, it also isn't an impossible task. I give them about a 40% chance.

[flyingMoose]

Erin is the only Shocker to receive a post-season award at the softball banquet tonight. She was First Team All-Conference as a DP-U. A well-deserved award!!

She finished conference play with a team-leading .338 BA, an OPS of .917 and 2 HRs.

Also this from the Shocker Web site.

[1972Shocker]

Looks like a strong Junior class. 11 Juniors on the 1st team (including both pitchers) and 8 on the 2nd team. Kind of works against the Shocks making much of a move up next year. Of course Creighton won't be in the league next year.

I like the way softball has a Coaching Staff of the year award instead of the standard Coach of the Year. Would mind seeing that expanded to other sports.

[1972Shocker]

Shock's season comes to an end with a disappointing 7-1 loss to SIU.

Shocks were shut down on 3 hits by a pitcher with a 4+ ERA and a WHIP of around 1.7

Shocks did show some marginal improvement this year. However, at this point there is nothing I can see that really points too much of a change next year. Fortunately, I don't know much so hopefully I will be proven wrong with that guess.

[flyingMoose]

Shockers 1-7 Southern Illinois

The Shockers could only get three singles against Brittney Lang who struck out seven. Erin's infield single drove in our only (unearned) run in the third.

Katie started but gave up a three-run double in the second and another run in the third as Sloan came on in relief. Sloan then yielded three runs in the sixth, only one of which was earned.

The Shocks are eliminated from the tournament, and the Salukis advance to play Northern Iowa later today.

[Hovpen]

At least they got beat by a Kansas pitcher. :)

At Lansing High School
Named All-Kaw Valley League all four years...first team All-Metro as a junior and senior...second team All-State as a junior...earned first-team All-State as a senior...named Kansas Female Athlete of the Year by the Kansas Sports Commission...entered the Kansas Hall of Fame for most strikeouts in an extra inning game, recorded <B>38 strikeouts in 23 innings</b>...holds the school record for most strikeouts in a season (218) and career (641)...posted a career earned run average of .390...posted an overall record of 40-11.

[flyingMoose]

Other Thursday Games

Missouri State 2-4(8) Evansville

Sara Patterson scattered six eights and the Purple Aces broke through in the eighth with back-to-back doubles to advance to a game later on Thursday.


Northern Iowa 6-4 Southern Illinois

The Panthers used a three-run double and two homeruns to best the Salukis.


Illinois State 3-5 Evansville

Four Redbird errors resulted in four unearned runs in the victory for the Purple Aces.

[flyingMoose]

Friday Games

Creighton 0-1 Northern Iowa

Nicole Fisher knocked the first pitch of the game over the left centerfield wall, and her twin sister, Jamie, scattered four hits, struck out twelve and escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the third to advance the Panthers to the championship game.


Drake 1-2(8) Evansville

The Purple Aces won their third game of the tourney and their second in extra innings as Hayley Fortner (sister to our Brittney) hit a solo homer in the eighth.


Northern Iowa and Evansville now play for the Tournament Championship and the Valley's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament tomorrow at 507pm.

[flyingMoose]

Championship Game

Northern Iowa 2-1 Evansville

The Panthers get a two-out, two-run bases-loaded single in the bottom of the sixth to squeak by Evansville and earn the Valley's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.


The RPI of the highest Valley seeds

1 - Creighton - 82
2 - Drake - 88
4 - Illinois State - 46

does not lead one to think we will have another team from the Valley in the NCAA Tournament.

[flyingMoose]

Northern Iowa is the fourth seed at the Lincoln Regional which is hosted by #14 National Seed Nebraska. Stanford and Tulsa are the other two teams at this Regional.