Linfield softball to host regional tournament

Linfield’s Northwest Conference Champion softball team will host its fourth consecutive four-team NCAA Division III regional playoff tournament starting on Thursday, May 14, at Del Smith Stadium. The full 64-team field for Divisions I, II and III was announced by the NCAA Monday morning.

Reaching the NCAA postseason for the 21st time in the last 22 seasons, Linfield (37-6) will begin play by hosting Marymount University (24-17) at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Pacific Lutheran University (34-10) is paired with Transylvania University (35-11) out of Kentucky in Thursday’s other opening-round game.

Winners will face off again at 11 a.m. on Friday, with the final game set for 11 a.m. Saturday morning.

After finishing second during the Northwest Conference regular season, Linfield went 3-0 at the NWC Tournament, topping regular-season champion Pacific Lutheran on Championship Sunday to claim the program’s 13th NWC Tournament title and the league’s automatic berth to the regional playoffs.

Statistically, Linfield enters the NCAA Tournament leading NCAA Division III in home runs (58) and ranks second nationally in RBIs per game (7.60), third in runs scored (349), fourth in doubles (89) and seventh in slugging percentage (.569).

Claiming an at-large bid, PLU is making its first NCAA playoff appearance since winning the Division III championship in 2012.

Marymount University, located in Arlington, Virginia, won its second consecutive Atlantic East Conference tournament championship to secure the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA playoffs. The Saints’ softball program is in just its fifth season of existence.

Transylvania University, located in Lexington, Kentucky, finished as runner-up to Earlham at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, but qualified for the NCAA playoffs as an at-large team.

The Division III championship tournament is comprised of 16 four-team regionals using a double-elimination playoff format. Sixteen teams advance from the regional round to compete in eight two-team, best-of-three Super Regionals, May 21-22, at campus sites. The championship finals take place May 28-June 3 at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia.

McMinnville will not be the only Oregon town to host a regional, as the University of Oregon will host Idaho State University, Mississippi State University and St. Mary’s College in Eugene Friday through Sunday. The Ducks play Idaho State on Friday at 7 p.m.

Article written with assistance from Linfield Sports Communication