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2009 NAC Softball Tournament
set to begin on Thursday Tournament play will begin on Thursday with games at 3 and 5 p.m. and continue all day Friday through Saturday afternoon, culminating with the tournament championship game. Aurora University (31-5, 22-2 NAC) has won the tournament championship for the past two years, and enters the 2009 tournament poised for a three-peat as the No. 1 seed. The Spartans, along with No. 2 Lakeland College (28-8, 21-3 NAC), will receive a bye through Thursday’s first round of play. Aurora will play the winner of Thursday’s first game (Dominican University vs. Marian University) on Friday at 9 a.m. followed by Lakeland’s first game of the tournament at 11 a.m. that will pit the Muskies against either Benedictine University or Concordia University Wisconsin, depending on which team wins Thursday’s second game. No. 4 Dominican (26-12, 16-8 NAC) and No. 5 Marian (20-16, 16-8 NAC) will kick off the first game of tournament play on Thursday at 3 p.m. Both teams appear to be fairly evenly matched, notching identical records in regular-season league play heading into the tournament, although the Stars were given a leg up in the rankings as they were able to steal a game from the top-ranked Spartans, 6-1. The Sabres snatched the second game of their regular-season doubleheader with the Stars with a commanding 13-5 result after falling 16-11 in the first game of the set. After counting up 11 straight wins in league play, Marian is currently on a four-game losing skid heading into this weekend, scoring just four runs in as many games, but played those games against tough Aurora and Benedictine squads. Dominican wrapped up its season with a split series against Edgewood College, who was just barely edged out of the tournament by Concordia Wisconsin. The Stars dropped the first game, 6-3, before storming back for revenge in the second game for the 11-4 victory. No. 3 Benedictine (30-10, 20-4 NAC) will take on No. 6 Concordia Wisconsin (20-20, 14-10 NAC) at 5 p.m. following the Dominican/Marian game. The Benedictine Eagles fell to Lakeland in their final regular-season game, 8-5, after winning 10 in a row with a pitching staff that allowed an average of just 1.3 runs per game in that stretch. Concordia Wisconsin’s NAC record mirrored that of Edgewood, but the Falcons got the go-ahead for the final tournament seed as they swept the Eagles, 4-3 and 7-0, earlier in the season. The Falcons have been the victors in the last three games of their schedule, sweeping Wisconsin Lutheran College and splitting their doubleheader with Rockford College. No. 1 Aurora will certainly be a challenge for either Dominican or Marian, as the Spartans boast league-bests in pitching (1.26 ERA) and fielding (.970) while also holding the third-highest spot behind the plate, batting .336 as a team. While Aurora has held a keen stronghold on the NAC over the past few years, Lakeland’s 2009 squad may have the best shot at unseating the Spartans if both teams can make it through to Saturday afternoon’s scheduled championship game. The Muskies lead the NAC in multiple statistical categories, batting .362 and hitting for power with 30 triples, 78 doubles and 249 RBI to name a few. Lakeland’s pitchers have also done their part frustrating other teams in the batter’s box with a 2.26 ERA, just behind Aurora. In the event of inclement weather, poor field conditions or darkness (Alverno Field does not have lights), games may be moved to nearby Zablocki Park. For up-to-date information, including live stats, video and radio broadcasts, throughout the tournament, please visit: http://www.alverno.edu/athletics/ To
view the complete 2009 NAC Tournament bracket, please visit:
Courtesy of Alverno College, Sports Information Department, April 29, 2009. |
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