May 6, 2002
Truman Softball Team Makes Fourth-Consecutive NCAA Appearance
Sixth-Seed Bulldogs Head to Fargo for Second Year
in a Row
The Truman softball team (31-17 overall, 11-7 MIAA) will be making its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II regional tournament after automatically qualifying by capturing the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament title on Saturday.
It was the second time in three years the Bulldogs have won the MIAA tournament.
Three other conferences in the North Central region earned automatic qualified as well, including No. 1 seed North Dakota State from the North Central Conference and No. 3 seed University of Minnesota-Duluth from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
All three teams that automatically qualified did so by winning five straight games in their respective double-elimination conference tournaments.
Three other NCC teams also made the regional tournament, including defending national champion and No. 2 seed the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, No. 4 seed St. Cloud State (Minn.) and No. 5 seed Augustana (S.D.).
UNO and Augustana will kickoff the North Central tournament with a 10 am game on Thursday, followed by NDSU and Truman at 12:30 pm and St. Cloud and Minnesota-Duluth at 3 p.m.
Six teams are chosen from each of the eight regions for a total of 48 teams in the NCAA postseason tournament.
The eight regional winners advance to the NCAA Division II Softball World Series. The winner of the North Central region will play the winner of the West region in the second game of NCAA Division II National Softball Championship at 1:30 p.m. (EST) Thursday, May 16 at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
Tournament Schedule Thursday, May 9, 2002 (double elimination tournament) Game 1--#1 North Dakota State (40-7) vs. #6 Truman (31-17), 12:30 p.m. Game 2--#2 Nebraska-Omaha (44-8) vs. #5 Augustana College (48-16), 10:00 a.m. Game 3--#3 Minnesota-Duluth (34-8) vs. #4 St. Cloud State (40-11), 3:00 p.m. Game 4--Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2002 Game 5--Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 12 noon Game 6--Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 2:30 p.m. Game 7--Game 5 winner vs. Game 1 winner, 5:00 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 2002 Game 8--Game 7 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 12 noon Game 9--Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 2:30 p.m. Game 10--Game 9 loser vs. Game 8 winner, 5 p.m. Sunday, May 12, 2002 Game 11--Championship, Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 12 noon Game 12--if needed, 2nd Championship, 2:30 p.m.
Series vs. North Dakota State: The Bulldogs lost 2-1 to NDSU in the Nebraska-Omaha tournament on March 23 this year. However, the Bulldogs ended NDSU's season by a 2-1 score at the 2001 NCAA Division II North Central Region tournament last year in Fargo. The Bison were the host of the tourney and had beaten the 'Dogs 5-2 in game one the day before. North Dakota State still holds the advantage in the series though, 6-3.
Series vs. Nebraska-Omaha: Truman holds a 7-6 advantage in the all-time series with UNO. However, the Mavericks have won the last five contests with Truman, including an 8-0 thrashing in the opening game of the UNO tournament on May 29 and a 5-1 win in the Central Missouri tournament on April 26 this year. The Mavs also ended the 'Dogs' season last year with a 5-1 win in the North Central regional championship game in Fargo, N.D.
Against UNO Earlier this year ... Against UNO in the Maverick's tournament, Elizabeth Economon led the team, going 2-for-2, while four other 'Dogs had one hit apiece. The Mavericks scored one run in the first followed by 3- and 4-run innings to blank the 'Dogs, 8-0. Jennifer Hulsopple took the loss after pitching two innings and giving up four earned runs.
In the CMSU tournament, UNO scored all five of its runs in the fifth inning, while Truman's lone run also came in the fifth off of a double by sophomore outfielder Krystl Brown. Brown was 2-for- 2 in the game, while Buford took the loss after striking out five batters.
Series vs. Minnesota-Duluth: The Truman Bulldogs and the UMD Bulldogs have never met on the softball field.
Series vs. St. Cloud State: The 'Dogs lead the series 3-1 and have won the last two games in the series, including a 2-0 win on April 14, 2000, 2-0. SCSU's only win came on April 4, 1992, 8-1.
Series vs. Augustana: Truman holds a slight 3-2 edge in the all-time series with Augustana. The Bulldogs took a 4-0 win from AC last year on April 14, but lost the two previous encounters.