Softball 5/7/2013 7:50:00 PM

Stars host NAIA Softball Championship Opening Round

Oklahoma City Bracket comes to Ann Lacy Stadium on May 13-15

OCU tops the NAIA in runs scored, hits, RBIs and doubles in 2013.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University competes for a berth in the NAIA softball championships starting Monday at Ann Lacy Stadium in the inaugural NAIA Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket.
Fourth-ranked OCU, 17th-ranked Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), Bellevue (Neb.) and Hastings (Neb.) comprise the teams in the double-elimination tournament. The championship game is set for noon Wednesday with an if-necessary game scheduled 3 p.m. that day.
The top-seeded Stars (47-12) will be paced by first-team all-Sooner Athletic Conference performers Tori Joyner, LeeAnn Lopez and Drew Wright. OCU looks to qualify for the NAIA Championships for the 21st consecutive year and 27th time overall.
Joyner, a senior shortstop from Mustang, Okla., tops the NAIA with 90 hits and ranks second with 48 stolen bases this year. She is hitting .437 with 72 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples and 25 RBIs.
Lopez, a senior first baseman from Grand Prairie, Texas, rates second nationally with 79 RBIs and third with 19 home runs. Lopez has produced a .376 average and 15 doubles.
Wright, a senior third baseman from Moore, Okla., adds a .396 average, 13 doubles, 10 homers and 57 RBIs.
OCU leads the NAIA in runs scored (458), runs batted in (395), hits (614) and doubles (123). The Stars rank second in slugging percentage (.584). To see how OCU ranks among NAIA statistical leaders, click here. The Stars play 3 p.m. Monday against Hastings.
Second seed Freed-Hardeman qualified for its first national-tournament trip by winning the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference-TranSouth Athletic Conference Tournament. Pitcher Sarah Elizabeth Cousar ramrods the Lady Lions, ranking fifth in wins (26), seventh in earn run average (1.07), eighth in strikeouts (217) and 11th in innings pitched (196) among the NAIA. Freed-Hardeman (31-7) faces Bellevue at noon Monday.
Third seed Bellevue made the NAIA Championship Opening Round by capturing the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title. Amanda Neumann spearheads the Bruins (39-9) with her .374 average, 22 doubles, 16 homers and 66 RBIs. Neumann, the co-MCAC player of the year, ranks fifth in the NAIA in runs driven in.
Fourth-seeded Hastings took the Great Plains Athletic Conference regular-season championship. Taylor Erlenbusch propels Hastings (29-12) with her 17-2 record, 2.08 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 131 innings.
The 10 opening-round tournament winners will comprise the field for the NAIA Championships on May 24-30 in Columbus, Ga. The NAIA adopted the Opening-Round format for softball for the first time. The NAIA introduced the Opening Round in other championship sports in 2008-09.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students 18 and under per session. Tournament games will be available via live video at a rate of $8.95 per game or in a tournament package for $19.95.
OCU owns national championships won in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2007. The Stars finished as NAIA runner-up last year.

NAIA Championship Opening Round
Oklahoma City Bracket
At Ann Lacy Stadium
Monday's Games
Game 1: Bellevue (Neb.) vs. Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), noon
Game 2: Hastings (Neb.) vs. Oklahoma City, 3 p.m.
Tuesday's Games
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Wednesday's Games
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, noon, championship
Game 7: If necessary, 3 p.m.

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