WKU Softball is set for competition in the first-ever NISC postseason event as the Hilltoppers head to the Georgia State regional site for games set for Tuesday through Thursday. This marks WKU’s third time in the postseason with two trips to the NCAA Tournament coming during the 2013 and 2015 seasons.
FOLLOWING INFORMATION
Tues. – vs. Alabama State | Noon CT
w/ win – vs. Kennesaw State | 3 p.m. CT
w/ loss – Loser’s bracket | Wed. 11 a.m. CT
Alabama State (21-33) out of the SWAC is the first team WKU will meet in Atlanta, Georgia. A victory would put the Hilltoppers back in action right away with a 3 p.m. CT contest against Kennesaw State (36-18). With a loss versus Alabama State, the Red and White would drop into the loser’s bracket and await the loser of the Georgia State (34-23) – UT Martin (38-18) tilt for an 11 a.m. CT contest on Wednesday.
The five-team regional site will take on a double-elimination format. Teams joining the Hilltoppers in Georgia include host Georgia State, UT Martin, Alabama State and Kennesaw State. All four of those squads were automatic qualifiers to the postseason event while the Hilltoppers earned a spot based on their National RPI ranking.
WKU is coming off of a Conference USA Tournament run that saw the eighth-seeded Red and White upset both No. 5-seed UAB and No. 4-seed Florida Atlantic on the first day of play to become the first eight seed to ever make it into the final four teams standing in the tournament. The Hilltoppers racked up 38 innings of play across four games in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the second-most innings a team has ever played in the conference tournament. DePaul set the record with 43 innings across six games.
The Hilltopper squad, comprised of 16 total players including 11 underclassmen of which nine are freshmen, is gaining critical postseason experience as the team continues to exceed expectations. Overall, WKU comes in with a share of the seventh youngest team in the nation but will finish the year with a minimum six games of postseason experience following action in the NISC.
Hosting mid-week regionals are Pacific, Weber State, Illinois State, Lamar, Georgia State and Liberty. Each double-elimination regional concludes play Thursday, May 18; the six-team Championship Round, also double elimination, will run May 21-24 at a host site still to be determined.
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Softball, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUSoftball, Instagram @WKU_Softball and Facebook @WKUSoftball.
-@WKUSports-
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Jessica Leifheit
Assistant Director
WKU Athletic Communications/Media Relations