Southland Conference Softball Tournament Starts Thursday
Southland Conference
Southland Conference Softball Tournament Release (PDF)
FRISCO, Texas – McNeese State earned the top seed in the 2013 Southland Conference Softball Tournament that will get underway Thursday, May 9, at the newly renovated Lady Demon Softball Complex on the campus of Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La.
The Cowgirls swept Nicholls State in the final conference series of the season to claim their third conference regular season championship and its first since 1994. McNeese State recorded a 38-13 overall record and a 19-5 record against conference foes. The Cowgirls’ .792 winning percentage in conference play is the best percentage in McNeese State history. The Cowgirls posted their fifth consecutive 30-win season and are making their conference-leading 23rd overall tournament. The Cowgirls will play the winner of the game one matchup between No. 4 Central Arkansas and No. 5 Lamar, Thursday at 4 p.m.
Northwestern State put together one of its better seasons after finishing second to earn the No. 2 seed with a 18-7 conference record and a 37-12 overall mark. After missing the conference tournament last season, the Lady Demons return for the 15th time and are looking to claim their fourth tournament title. Northwestern last won the conference tournament in 2002, a year in which the Lady Demons also hosted the tournament. Northwestern will play the winner of game two between No. 3 Sam Houston State and No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana, Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
The tournament opens Thursday at 11 a.m. with game one between No. 4 seed UCA and No. 5 seed Lamar. The Bears are making their second consecutive trip to the conference tournament after posting a 36-18 overall record and a 15-10 record in the Southland. The 36 wins ties the most wins in program history, matching last season’s mark. Lamar is making sixth overall appearance in the conference tournament but first since reviving its program this season. Lamar swept its final regular-season series to earn a spot in the conference tournament and finished with a 24-33 overall record and a 14-13 record in conference. During the regular season, the Bears swept the Lady Cardinals in Conway, Ark., April 27-28.
In game two, No. 3 Sam Houston State will face No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana, Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The Bearkats are making their 11th overall and second consecutive appearance in the conference tournament. The Bearkats have won two tournament titles with their last coming in 2007. Sam Houston finished the season with a conference mark of 17-10 and an overall record of 32-22. Southeastern Louisiana returns to the tournament for the fifth time and for the first time since 2008. The Lady Lions finished the regular season with a 31-20 overall record while concluding conference play at 13-13. During the first week of conference play, the Lady Lions took two of three from the Bearkats in Hammond, La., March 9-10.
The 2013 Southland Conference Softball Tournament plays a six-team double elimination format with a possibility of 11 games. The 11th game would be played in the event an undefeated team lost in the title game forcing a second game, upholding the double elimination format.
Southland Tournament Streamed Live with Championship Game on ESPN3
The entire 2013 Southland Softball Tournament will be available on Southland Digital Network, with the exemption of the championship round, which will be available exclusively on ESPN3. Chris Mycoskie, assistant commissioner of television and electronic media for the Southland Conference, will handle play-by play for all games while Tony Taglavore, a longtime Shreveport-area sportscaster, will join him for the championship as the color analyst.
The Southland Digital Network is available at southland.org, as well as the official SLC mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. ESPN3 programming can be found on WatchESPN.com, plus the WatchESPN app for iPhone, iPad, Android and XBOX Live systems.
NCAA Softball Selection Show on ESPNU
The winner of the 2013 tournament receives an automatic qualification to the NCAA Tournament. The selection show airs Sunday, May 12 at 9 p.m. CDT on ESPNU.
Tickets on Sale Now
Adult all-tournament tickets are available for $17 and $12 for youth. Tickets will also be available for each day of the tournament. A single-day pass is $9 and $7 for youth. To purchase tickets, call the Northwestern State Ticket Office at 318-357-4268 or visit the university's athletic tickets website at http://nsutickets.universitytickets.com.
Tori Benavidez Named Southland Player and Hitter of the Year
Benavidez, a first-team all-conference selection, is the second Bearkat to earn player of the year honor since Jennifer Delcambre took the honor in 1993. A native of Midlothian, Texas, was led the league in Southland play in hits (41), runs scored (29), stolen bases (12), plate appearances (109) and at bats (99), she second in batting average (.414), third in triples (three), fifth in total bases (56), sixth in on-base percentage (.463), ninth in runs batted in (18) and 13th in slugging percentage (.566). She is the fifth Bearkat to be named hitter of the year and first to be named player and pitcher of the year in the same season. Benavidez became the 11th player in Southland history to be named player and hitter of the year in the same season and first since Texas-Arlington’s Katie Jones accomplished the feat in 2007.
Kelsie Armstrong Named Southland Pitcher of the Year
Armstrong is the first Central Arkansas player to be tabbed the conference’s pitcher of the year. The senior from Hot Springs, Ark., continued to make her mark as one of the Southland’s most dominant pitchers. In conference play, Armstrong led the league with 176 strikeouts, including 47 batters looking. She pitched 138.0 innings in conference while making 20 starts and picking up 13 wins. Conference opponents could only manage a .221 average against the right-hander as she compiled an 1.88 earned run average. On the season, Armstrong was 28-12, completing 37 of the 40 games she started. She struck out 344 batters in 207.0 innings pitched, setting a school record for the fourth consecutive season with strikeouts in a season. Her 344 strikeouts more than double that of any Southland pitcher and she led the league in the category for the third consecutive season. Twice this season, Armstrong recorded a school-record 18 strikeouts and threw a no-hitter against Grambling State Feb. 26. Armstrong eclipsed the 1,000-strikeout mark for her career (1,018), becoming only the third pitcher in conference history to reach that milestone, joining Sarah Dawson (1,280 – Louisiana-Monroe, 1994-97) and Nicole Neuerburg (1,019 – Texas State, 2001-04).
Lauren Schwirtlich Earns Newcomer of the Year
Lauren Schwirtlich, a first-team all-conference selection, helped Houston Baptist make its mark in its first season in the Southland Conference. The junior Texas A&M transfer from Corpus Christi, Texas, led the Southland with a .418 batting average, which ranks 40th in the NCAA. Her conference-leading seven triples on the season is tied for third nationally and is just one shy of the national leader. Her batting average is the seventh-highest in a single season in program history and her seven triples are tied for the third-best in a single season in program history. Both marks are the best in HBU softball since the Huskies returned to Division I in 2008.
Kirsten Schwirtlich Honored as Top Freshman
Kirsten Schwirtlich was tabbed as the league’s top freshman as she also earned second-team all-conference honors. On the season, the freshman from Corpus Christi, Texas, led the league with a .699 slugging percentage and was second with 47 RBI. She ranked first in the league in RBI per game (1.12) and fourth in runs score (40) and home runs (10). Her RBI mark is tied for third in school history for a single season while her 10 home runs is seventh most all-time in HBU history for a single season. Both marks are the highest for an HBU player since the school returned to Division I.
Mike Smith Named Coach of the Year
Smith received coach of the year honors after leading the Cowgirls to their third Southland regular-season championship and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Smith, in only his second year at the helm of McNeese, earns his first coach of the year honor and third overall for a McNeese coach. The Cowgirls posted a 19-5 mark in conference play, marking their highest conference winning percentage (.792) in program history. McNeese’s 38-13 overall record marks the fifth consecutive season the Cowgirls have reached the 30-win mark.
Fourteen Players Return as All-Conference Selections
Fourteen players made a return appearance to the all-conference teams led by Central Arkansas senior catcher Melanie Bryant, who is making her fourth consecutive appearance. Benavidez is making her third appearance on the all-conference teams while 12 additional players make their second all-conference appearance led Armstrong, Sam Houston State seniors Shelbi Tucker, Kim Damian and Ashley Isbell and sophomore Hillary Adams, Stephen F. Austin junior Elizabeth Arana, Central Arkansas senior Melissa Bryant, McNeese State senior Meagan Bond, junior Alanna DiVittorio and sophomore Ashley Modzelewski, Nicholls State senior Ashley Bertot and Northwestern State junior Tara McKenney.
TOURNAMENT TEAM NOTES
No. 1 McNeese State (38-13, 19-5 Southland)
McNeese State makes its ninth consecutive tournament appearance and its conference-best 24th overall tournament berth. The Cowgirls posted their five consecutive 30-win season with a 38-13 record. McNeese has appeared in five championship games, including two in the last four seasons. The Cowgirls have a 3-2 record in the title game with their most recent title coming in 2010. The Cowgirls had five players earn all-conference honors, including first-teamers sophomore catcher Ashley Modzelewski, junior outfielder Alanna DiVittorio and senior pitcher Meagan Bond. Last year, McNeese State fell to Sam Houston State 3-2 in nine innings in the third round.
No. 2 Northwestern State (37-12, 18-7 Southland)
After missing the tournament last season, Northwestern State returns for its 15th overall conference tournament. The Lady Demons hold a tournament winnings percentage of .627 (37-22), which is the best percentage among current league members. Northwestern is 3-4 in championship games and won its last tournament title in 2002, a year in which Northwestern hosted the tournament. The Lady Demons had six all-conference selections, including first-team member Brianna Rodriguez at first base.
No. 3 Sam Houston State (32-22, 17-10 Southland)
Sam Houston State returns to the Southland tournament for the second consecutive year and for the 11th time overall. The Bearkats have a 25-16 overall record in the conference tournament and made it all the way to the championship game last season before falling 3-0 to Texas State. Sam Houston has won two tournament titles (1988, 2007), and have appeared in the title game four times. Sam Houston had a conference-best nine players selected to the all-conference teams, including three first-team members. Southland Player and Hitter of the Year Tori Benavidez earned first-team in the outfield while senior Shelbi Tucker received the nod at third base for the second consecutive season and sophomore Hillary Adams was first-team designated player.
No. 4 Central Arkansas (36-18, 15-10 Southland)
Central Arkansas makes its second tournament appearance since beginning Southland softball in 2007. The Bears tied the school mark with wins in a season with a 36-18 record, matching their win total from last year. Last year in UCA’s first tournament appearance, the Bears went 0-2 with a tough 4-3 loss to Texas-San Antonio and a 1-0 shutout against Sam Houston State. Central Arkansas had four all-conference selections, including two first-team selections. Leading the way for Central Arkansas was conference pitcher of the year Kelsie Armstrong, who led the league in strikeouts for the third consecutive year, and senior second baseman Melissa Bryant.
No. 5 Lamar (24-33, 14-13 Southland)
Lamar is returning to the Southland tournament for the first time since 1987, its final year of softball before reviving the program this season. It will make the Lady Cardinals sixth overall trip to the conference tournament, where they hold a 4-10 overall record in the postseason. Lamar, which was picked last in post the coaches and sports information directors’ preseason polls, swept its final series of the season to clinch a spot in the postseason and boasts a conference mark of 14-13. Lamar finished the regular season with a 24-33 record, which is the most wins in a season in program history. Lamar placed one player of the all-conference team with junior Candyce Carter earning third-team all-conference in the outfield.
No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana (31-20, 13-13 Southland)
Southeastern Louisiana returns to the tournament for the first time since 2008 and for the fifth time overall. The Lady Lions are 6-7 all-time in the conference tournament but have never reached the championship game. Southeastern’s mark of 31-20 matches the highest win total in program history since joining the conference. The Lady Lions finished with a 13-13 mark in league play to earn the No. 6 seed. Southeastern placed three members on the all-conference teams with senior outfield Michelle Duhe and freshman outfielder Katie Lacour earning second-team honors.