Lenoir-Rhyne, Carson-Newman, Wingate Receive Bids To Softball Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The regular season South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate University softball team, tournament champion Carson-Newman College and Lenoir-Rhyne University received bids to the 2009 NCAA Division II tournament, officials announced Monday.

Lenoir-Rhyne will host one regional. Host Lenoir-Rhyne University (36-11) will face Georgia College and State University (31-22) on one side of the four-team bracket.

Carson-Newman (29-15) will also play in the Hickory regional and will face South-Carolina Aiken.

The winner of the double-elimination tournament advances to Southeast Super Regional held May 15-17.

Carson-Newman is making its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, a South Atlantic Conference record. The Lady Eagles' berth came on the strength of an automatic bid, awarded for winning the SAC Tournament for a second consecutive year. USC Aiken earned an "at-large" bid after finishing the regular season 34-14.

The Lady Eagles are 3-2 in five road games against regional opponents this season. C-N split doubleheaders against L-R and GCSU during the regular season. They also won at L-R in last weekend's SAC Tournament, 10-1.

Game times for this weekend's (May 8-10) tournament are expected to be announced on Monday.

The Bulldogs (33-14-1 overall) will travel to Dahlonega, Ga. for the Southeast Regional Tournament, taking on Augusta State University Friday. North Georgia College and State University is the host of the regional; they will face Queens University of Charlotte Friday.

Wingate won 11 of its last 13 regular season game and advanced to the championship game in the Food Lion SAC Tournament. The Bulldogs lead the SAC in fielding percentage (.972) and team ERA (1.80), while ranking third in the league in batting average (.311).

The Bulldogs are led by SAC co-Player of the Year and SAC Scholar Athlete Hallie Pettigrew (Uniontown, Ohio). The four-time All-SAC selection is hitting .389 on the season with 58 hits and 38 runs scored. Junior Debra Grijalva (San Jose, Calif.) is also an All-SAC and All-SAC tournament selection. She leads the SAC with a .422 batting average, while ranking second with 46 RBI.

Junior outfielder LaRonda McClain (Kings Mountain, N.C.) is another first team All-SAC selection for the Bulldogs. She leads the league with 64 hits and 27 stolen bases, while ranking third with 41 runs scored.

The pitching staff is anchored by sophomores Brittany Blankenship (Midlothian, Va.) and Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.). Blankenship was also named to the first team All-SAC. She is tied for the league lead with 18 wins, including a 10-3 record in SAC play. She has a 2.39 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 155 innings of work.

Smith battled through an injury to lead the league with a 0.82 ERA, while posting a 13-5 overall record on the year. She is second in the league with 124 strikeouts in 120 innings of work. She has also held opponents to a league-best .190 batting average.

At Hickory, N.C.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Game 1: S.C. Aiken (34-14) vs. Carson-Newman (29-15), TBD
Game 2: Lenoir-Rhyne (36-11) vs. Georgia College (31-22), TBD

Saturday, May 9, 2009
Game 3: S.C. Aiken/C-N winner vs. L-R/GCSU winner, TBD
Game 4: S.C. Aiken/C-N loser vs. L-R/GCSU loser, TBD
Game 5: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, TBD

Sunday, May 10, 2009
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, TBD
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, TBD (If Necessary)

at Dahlonega, Ga.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Game 1: North Georgia (43-3 overall) vs. Queens (N.C.) (26-22 overall)
Game 2: Augusta State (31-19 overall) vs. Wingate (33-14-1 overall)

Saturday, May 9, 2009
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner
Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser

Sunday, May 10, 2009
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. game 6 loser (if necessary)