The Eastern Kentucky University softball team is set to host its first-ever postseason tournament this weekend as it holds the National Invitational Softball Championships Thursday through Saturday.
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University softball team is set to host its first-ever postseason tournament this weekend as it holds the National Invitational Softball Championship Thursday through Saturday.
The Colonels will welcome in Towson University, the University of Toledo and Austin Peay State.
Triple Crown Sports and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association have joined to bring back the tournaments. The postseason Division-I event highlights the explosive growth of women’s softball and the depth of talent on collegiate rosters.
Towson and APSU will open the tournament with a 3 p.m. contest on Thursday followed by EKU squaring off with Toledo at 6 p.m.
“We really have a team and facility that I am so proud of and want to show off,” Head Coach Jane Worthington stated. “While this was not our original goal, it is a privilege to be selected to compete and host the NISC. We will do our best to represent EKU.”
The NISC features a 17-team field divided up into four host sites. This marks the second year for the tournament. Eight teams in the field have won 30 or more games during the 2018 season and six teams finished second or better during the regular season and conference tournaments.
Admission for the tournament will be $10 per day.
LAST TIME OUT
-EKU (40-18) fell in the championship game of its conference tournament to Jacksonville State.
-Paige Murphy, Mollie Paulick and Emily Corbitt were each placed on the Ohio Valley Conference All-Tournament Team.
-Murphy continues to lead the Colonels offensively, hitting a .461 clip with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 22 homers, 58 runs batted in and 33 walks.
-Paulick holds a 21-6 record on the season with a team-best 2.03 earned run average.
-Murphy was named the OVC Player of the Year. She, Paulick and Destinee Lizzmore garnered first-team honors. Hannah Clark was named to the second team and Lizzmore, Carly Robinson and Corbitt were named to the all-newcomer team. Worthington was named the OVC Coach of the Year.
THE FIELD
TOWSON
-The Tigers, a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, finished the season with a 40-17 mark, but come into the tournament on a four-game skid after dropping three to Hofstra and a solo game to the University of North Carolina – Wilmington.
-Kendyl Scott leads Towson with a .459 mark while Megan Dejter is tossing a team-best 2.02 ERA.
-TU put a quintet on CAA All-Conference teams. Scott, Brook Miko and Dejter were each named to the first team while Nicole Stockinger and Daria Edwards were named to the second team.
TOLEDO
-The Rockets, of the Mid-American Conference, come into the event with a 34-21 mark after dropping their final game to Ball State.
-Bailey Curry leads the offensive effort with a .363 average while Kailey Minarchick is leading from the circle with a 2.36 ERA.
-Minarchick and Curry were each named First-Team All-MAC while Curry doubled up as the freshman of the year. Ashley Rausch was given all-second team honors and Kylie Norwood was named to the all-freshman team. Head Coach Kristen Butler was named the MAC Coach of the Year.
AUSTIN PEAY
-The Governors finished the season with a 39-17 mark, most recently falling to EKU in the OVC Tournament.
-Danielle Liermann is powering APSU’s offense with a .343 mark on the year while Morgan Rackel is tossing a stingy 1.31 ERA.
-Rackel was named the OVC Pitcher of the Year, Bailey Shorter earned OVC Freshman of the Year honors, Liermann and Rackel were named to the first team while Shorter and Kacy Acree rounded it out with second-team honors.
