The 2015 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament will begin this week and Lake Forest College will be one of 16 schools hosting regional competition. The double-elimination event will run from Thursday through Satutrday with the Foresters taking on North Central College and the Univeristy of Wisconsin-Whitewater playing Hope College on day one.
Lake Forest (31-8, 13-2 MWC) blanked Carroll University 4-0 and Lawrence University 3-0 and 5-0 last weekend to capture a second straight Midwest Conference championship and secure the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament's field of 62 teams. The Foresters enter this week's games hitting .339 as a team with an earned run average of 1.85.
North Central (31-7, 11-3 CCIW) dropped one-run decisions to Wheaton College and Augustana College at last weekend's College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Tournament but received one of 20 at-large berths into the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals own a .363 batting average and 2.09 ERA on the season.
Whitewater (36-7, 13-3 WIAC) defeated Wisconsin-La Crosse 10-3, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 8-0, and Wisconsin-River Falls 4-0 to win last weekend's Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. The Warhawks come into the NCAA Tourney batting .332 with a 2.03 ERA.
Hope (27-9, 12-4 MIAA) fell 5-0 to Alma College and 7-3 to St. Mary's College at the Michigan Intercollagiate Athletic Association Tournament last weekend. The Flying Dutch received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and enter this week's play with a .350 batting average and 2.53 ERA.
Regional Tournament Schedule (times CST)
Thursday, May 7
Game 1: Wisconsin-Whitewater vs. Hope, 1:00 p.m.
Game 2: North Central at Lake Forest, 3:30 p.m.
Friday, May 8
Game 3: Round 1 Winners, 9:00 a.m.
Game 4: Round 1 Losers, 11:00 a.m.
Game 5: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 9
Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 12:00 p.m.
Game 7: Rematch of Game 6 (if necessary), 2:30 p.m.
Single-Session Ticket Prices
$6 - Adults
$3 - Students, Senior Citizens, Children Age 2-11
$0 - Children Under 2
