Softball Headed To C-USA Tournament
May 06, 2002 | Softball
DePaul posted a C-USA record 20-1 league ledger and have an overall mark of 43-9, to rank No. 18 in the lastest NFCA/USA Today poll. DePaul's Lindsay Chouinard leads the conference with a 25-4 record and has not allowed an earned run in her last 74 1/3 innings pitched, 2/3 innings short of the conference record set by Southern Miss' Courtney Blades in 2000.
Second-seeded Southern Miss will be looking to win its third straight C-USA Tournament after finishing in second place in the regular season at 15-8 in league play and 26-33 overall. After posting a 10-game losing skid, the Golden Eagles have bounced back, splitting a two-game series this past weekend against Charlotte. The Golden Eagles will face the winner of the UAB- East Carolina game.
The No. 3 seed is UAB, who posted a school record 36 wins this season to finish third in the conference with a 14-10 league mark and 36-20 overall record. The Blazers are counting on righthander Megan Stephenson and shortstop Candice Hithe to help them to their first NCAA Tournament.
Louisville (11-10, 25-26) will be the fourth seed and play fifth seeded South Florida (9-11, 24-31-1), the host institution for the tournament, in the opening round. Louisville righthander Jessica Rak has been solid this season, posting a school record 21 wins, while the Bulls have relied on sophomore standout Shelly Riker, who leads the conference with 31 steals this season. Sixth-seeded East Carolina (10-13, 38-24), which will be competing in its first-ever C-USA Softball Tournament, will meet No. 3 UAB in the opening game, beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 9. The Pirates have won eight of its last 10 games, while also giving DePaul its only conference loss of the season on March 24.
The championship will be a double-elimination tournament, with the champion receiving the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The championship game on May 11 will be televised by affiliates of the Conference USA Television Network. Don Russell will announce the play-by-play with Kaci Clark, a former WPSL MVP and All-State performer, providing the commentary. The game will be telecasted live on the following stations: Charter Communications (St. Louis), WFTE (Louisville), NESN and Comcast Charter Southeast. Fox Sports Net Chicago (May 12 at 5 p.m. (CST)) and Fox Sports Net South (May 13 at 11 a.m. (CST)) will broadcast the championship game as a tape delay.
