Titans Begin NCAA World Series Journey Against Top-Ranked Tigers
UW-Oshkosh is back in the NCAA Division III Softball World Series for the first time in more than three decades.
The Titans open the eight-team World Series at 11 a.m. (EDT) Thursday (May 27) against DePauw University (Ind.) at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va. UW-Oshkosh (28-11) is seeded eighth while DePauw University (38-3) is the top seed and ranked first in the country by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
The Division III World Series is comprised of a pair of seeded, four-team double elimination brackets. The winners of both brackets will meet in a best-of-three series for the 2021 national title.
Rounding out UW-Oshkosh's bracket of four teams are fourth-seeded and reigning national champion Texas Lutheran University and fifth-seeded Tufts University (Mass.). Texas Lutheran University (32-4), tied for second in the NFCA top 25 poll, plays three-time national champion Tufts University (21-5) at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) Thursday.
The other World Series bracket features second-seeded Virginia Wesleyan University (41-5-1) battling seventh-seeded University of St. Thomas (Minn.) (32-8) at 4 p.m. (EDT) Thursday before third-seeded Birmingham-Southern College (Ala.) (31-6) and sixth-seeded University of Rochester (N.Y.) (35-8) conclude the opening day at 6:30 p.m. Virginia Wesleyan University, the 2017 and 2018 national champion, is tied for second in the NFCA poll while Birmingham-Southern College is ranked sixth, University of Rochester is 14th and University of St. Thomas is tied for 20th.
The Division III Championship continues through June 1.
UW-Oshkosh returns to the World Series for the second time and first since 1988. The Titans won the Eau Claire Regional in four straight games, defeating their opponents by a combined 20-3 score along the way, including a 6-1 decision over Piedmont College (Ga.) in the championship game. UW-Oshkosh, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season co-champion, received an automatic bid into the NCAA postseason by winning the WIAC tournament.
The Titans, seeking their first World Series win, enter the tournament with a .319 batting average and a 3.32 earned run average while ranking seventh in the nation with a .977 fielding percentage.
UW-Oshkosh had four NFCA All-Great Lakes Region selections as catcher Hannah Ritter was named to the Second Team, and pitcher Maddie Fink, second baseman Amanda Mc Ilhany and outfielder Natalie Dillon were tabbed to the Third Team. Ritter additionally received mention on the NFCA's All-America Third Team. Fink also garnered WIAC Pitcher of the Year honors before receiving Most Outstanding Pitcher laurels at the Eau Claire Regional.
Ritter and Mc Ilhany joined Fink on the All-WIAC First Team. Titans outfielder Acacia Tupa, the Eau Claire Regional Most Outstanding Position Player, was selected to the All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team. The UW-Oshkosh staff of head coach Scott Beyer along with assistants Alyssa Doomis and Kaitlyn Krol were named WIAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
DePauw University is in the World Series for the fifth time after clinching the Decatur (Ill.) Regional with a 9-2 victory over Mount St. Joseph University (Ohio) in the second title game. The Tigers secured an automatic berth into the 48-team Division III Championship by winning the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament.
The Tigers are hitting .325 on the year and sport a 1.93 earned run average while ranking third nationally in stolen bases.
DePauw University's Cami Henry is a finalist for 2021 NFCA Pitcher of the Year. Henry, the NCAC Pitcher of the Year and Decatur Regional Most Outstanding Pitcher was selected to the NFCA All-Central Region First Team along with Tigers catcher Becca St. Germain, the NCAC Player of the Year, while outfielder Abby Pyburn was named to the Second Team.
The Tigers also reached the World Series in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2015.
Texas Lutheran University, the 2019 national champion, earned the right to defend its title by winning all four of its games as host of the Seguin (Texas) Regional by a combined 40-7 score. The Bulldogs were automatic qualifiers into the NCAA field by winning the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.
The Bulldogs rank eighth in the country with a .381 batting average and boast a 1.85 earned run average while listing second nationally in both on-base percentage and stolen bases.
Texas Lutheran University outfielder Kelly Jurden is a finalist for NFCA Player of the Year honors. Jurden was joined on the NFCA All-West Region First Team by Bulldogs pitcher Ashlyn Strother, catcher Sarah Metzer, utility player Chassety Raines and designated player Rebecca Snow. Texas Lutheran University pitcher Sydney Ouellette, second baseman Casey Martin and outfielder Skylar Ouellette each garnered All-West Region Second Team plaudits.
The Bulldogs' 2019 national title was the program's first.
Tufts University, which won three consecutive Division III titles from 2013-15, clinched a spot in Virginia after sweeping through the Bangor (Maine) Regional, winning its four games by a 7-3 combined score. The Jumbos were the champions of the New England Small College Athletic Conference tournament.
The Jumbos are batting .305 on the year and have a 1.83 earned run average.
Tufts University had four players named NFCA All-New England Region as outfielder Michelle Adelman was selected to the Second Team, and pitchers Kristina Haghdan and Sophia DiCocco along with second baseman Emma Della Volpe were each chosen to the Third Team. Haghdan is the NESCAC Pitcher of the Year.
Virginia Wesleyan University, the 2017 and 2018 Division III champion, is seeking its third national title in five years. The Marlins, making a nearly five-hour trip to Salem, won all four of their Virginia Beach (Va.) Regional contests after sweeping through the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament.
The Marlins, winners of their last 10 games, are batting .369 and have a 1.80 earned run average. Virginia Wesleyan University, the national leader in stolen bases, also ranks among the division's top 10 in hits, doubles, triples, walks and shutouts.
Virginia Wesleyan University pitcher Hanna Hull and catcher Jessica Goldyn are finalists for NFCA Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year, respectively. Hull, the four-time ODAC Pitcher of the Year, was the NFCA Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018. Hull and Goldyn were joined on the NFCA All-Atlantic Region First Team by Marlins pitcher Emily Seale and third baseman Julia Sinnett. Virginia Wesleyan University also had first baseman Danielle Stewart and outfielder Ariana Rolle tabbed to the All-Atlantic Region Second Team, and outfielder Madison Glaubke on the Third Team.
Birmingham-Southern College is making its first World Series appearance after defeating seventh-ranked and Marshall Regional host East Texas Baptist University in the title game to complete a four-game sweep last weekend. The Panthers gained an automatic bid into the NCAA Championship by winning the Southern Athletic Association tournament.
The Panthers have a .359 batting average and a 3.73 earned run average while ranking in the national top 10 in on-base percentage.
Birmingham-Southern College outfielder Annie Clayton is an NFCA All-Atlantic Region First Team honoree. Panthers pitcher Hailee Bryan, first baseman Kaylyn Chapman and second baseman Madison Plunkett were each selected to the All-Atlantic Region Third Team.
University of Rochester swept through the Erie (Pa.) Regional, winning its four games by a combined 21-7 score, including a pair of victories over 16th-ranked St. John Fisher College (N.Y.). The Yellowjackets, the Liberty League's automatic qualifiers, are making their second World Series appearance and first since 2014.
The Yellowjackets are batting .328 and sport a 1.85 earned run average while ranking second in the nation in home runs and among the top 10 in shutouts and stolen bases.
Yellowjackets outfielder Jen Carson was tabbed to the NFCA All-Northeast Region Second Team while pitcher Hannah Leahy and first baseman Hannah Keiper, the Liberty League Co-Player of the Year, were selected to the Third Team.
University of St. Thomas, in its final season as a Division III member before transitioning to Division I, earned a trip to the World Series by winning the Waverly (Iowa) Regional with four straight victories, including a 3-0 decision in the final over conference rival St. Olaf College (Minn.) for the team's nation leading 17th shutout on the year. The Tommies also defeated St. Olaf College twice to clinch the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's automatic bid.
The Tommies, who won back-to-back national titles in 2004-05, head to Salem with a .333 batting average and a 1.89 earned run average.
University of St. Thomas had a pair of players on the NFCA All-Midwest Region Team as utility player Kierstin Anderson-Glass was named to the Second Team and outfielder Coryn Jacobson was selected to the Third Team.
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