FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kim Ippolito, Graduate Assistant to Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Tournament Release

May 6, 2014 – Departing on a bus early Thursday morning, the North Central College softball team will make their way to the program's 12^th NCAA Division III Softball Regionals. After learning they received an at-large bid on Monday, the Cardinals will be traveling to Central College in Pella, Iowa for the three-day tournament.

North Central's first game in the double elimination tournament will be against the hosts the Central College Dutch who also received an at-large bid. Start time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Friday as the Cardinals face the Dutch for only their second time in the series history. The last time they battled against each other was back in 2011 in Tucson, Ariz. where the Cardinals fell 9-0.   

"It's going to be a tough regional," said head coach Jim Kulawiak. "Everyone is very experienced."

The Cardinals will be out to break their losing streak after dropping two last week in the conference tournament at Illinois Wesleyan. This brings the team to 29-11 on the season with strong offensive performances by Amanda Walker, Kayla Antle and Kiersten Tinkoff.

Walker leads the team in hitting at .410 with 50 hits including six home runs and 36 RBI. She is followed by Antle who has 48 hits and leads the team in runs scored at 36. Tinkoff is right behind them with 28 RBI and three home runs while collecting a .356 batting average.

The Dutch will be making their fifth consecutive appearance in the tournament and holds four national titles. They have been thriving offensively so far this season with 30 home runs and batting a team average of .350 at 30-10 overall.   

"They are very good," said Kulawiak. "We will have to adjust and do things better."

Joining them is the Washington University in St. Louis Bears who also gained an at-large bid to be placed in regionals. They finished the regular season 30-15 overall with a team average of .328 while winning their last two in shutout games.

North Central has only competed against the Bears one other time back in 2010 where they lost 5-0 also in the regional tournament.

"They are a new team to us and a strong program," said Kulawiak.

The most important team North Central hopes to get revenge on is the Luther College Norse who eliminated them from regionals just last season. The Cardinals had defeated three other teams in the tournament before being shut out by them in two losses.

Luther has held another strong season record of 30-6 as they make their sixth consecutive regional appearance and 15^th overall as they attempt to extend their 13-game winning streak.

"It's not a matter of being prepared, it's a matter of being more aware of their tendencies," said Kulawiak. "Knowing what they have done will help to an extent."

Luther is placed in the No.1 seed of the tournament as they take on Washington- St. Louis on Friday at 1 p.m.

Saturday's schedule will be decided on the results of Friday's games.

The winner of regionals will advance to the two-team super regionals May 16-17 in the best two-of-three format.