OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University competes for an NAIA Softball World Series bid in the NAIA Softball Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket starting Monday at Ann Lacy Stadium. 

Fifth-ranked Oklahoma City, Midland (Neb.), Mount Mercy (Iowa) and Texas A&M-San Antonio comprise the field in the double-elimination tournament. The title game of the event will be Wednesday, May 17 with first pitch at 11 a.m. with an if-necessary game to follow at 1 p.m. 

The Stars (45-9) captured the SAC regular-season championship this year for the seventh time in the last eight years and 12th time since 2004. Oklahoma City rates among the top five in the NAIA in slugging percentage (.548, second), extra-base hits (169, second), total bases (780, third), shutouts (18, fourth), triples (26, fourth), sacrifice flies (20, fourth), runs scored (372, fifth) and runs batted in (338, fifth). Shelbey Cornelson became the Sooner Athletic Conference pitcher of the year while ranking second nationally with 25 wins and 14 shutouts on the year. 

Phil McSpadden owns the most victories of any college softball coach ever, boasting of a 1,888-408 record in his 36th year as OCU coach. He moved ahead of Mike Candrea, formerly of Arizona, on March 10 with a 4-1 win over Mid-America Christian in Oklahoma City. OCU leads the NAIA with 11 national championships, six national runner-up finishes, 33 World Series appearances, 135 World Series wins and seven Opening Round titles. 

Midland reached the Opening Round after winning the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament. Mount Mercy advanced to national-tournament play with a runner-up finish in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament, while Texas A&M-San Antonio took runner-up in the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.

The NAIA Championship Opening Round includes a 40-team field with the champions from each of the 10 Opening Round tournaments around the nation will meet in the NAIA Softball World Series on May 25-31 in Columbus, Ga.