Story courtesy of Christa Parulis-Kaye, Assistant Commissioner of Media Relations

For Immediate Release:
April 27, 2009

ATTLEBORO, Mass.—Lesley University has claimed the top seed for the 2009 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Softball Championship, which begins with quarterfinal matchups on campus sites the afternoon of Tuesday, April 28. The Lynx (23-10 overall) earned the top spot in the upcoming NECC tournament after posting a 15-1 conference record.

Elms College (17-12 overall) claimed the #2 seed going 14-2 in conference play.

Mitchell College (13-16-1 overall, 10-5-1 NECC) has earned the #3 seed, while Daniel Webster College (17-14-1 overall, 10-5-1 NECC) will be the #4 seed. NECC tiebreaker procedures were used to determine the #3 and #4 seeds. In the first criteria of head-to-head competition Mitchell defeated Daniel Webster 10-4 on March 26 and tied with the Eagles 8-8 in the second game of the double header.

Bay Path College (17-18, 9-7) is the #5 seed and Wheelock College (7-20, 7-9) has claimed the #6 and final seed.

In quarterfinal-round action on Tuesday, April 28, #3 Mitchell will host #6 Wheelock in New London, Conn. at 4:00p.m., while #4 Daniel Webster will host #5 Bay Path in Nashua, N.H. at 4:00 p.m.

The semifinal and final rounds will be hosted by top-seeded Lesley on Friday, May 1, Saturday, May 2 and possibly Sunday, May 3 in Cambridge, Mass. The location of the tournament field will be determined.

In Friday’s semifinals, Lesley will face the winner of the Daniel Webster-Bay Path quarterfinal at 10:00 a.m., while Elms will meet the winner of the Mitchell-Wheelock quarterfinal at 12:00 p.m. Game five will have the two losing teams facing off at 2:00 p.m. and the winning teams finishing off the day at a 4:00 p.m. start time.

Saturday’s action will begin at noon with the winner of game five facing the loser of game six. The championship game -- game eight -- will take place at 2:00 p.m. with the winners of game six and seven meeting.

2009 NECC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals • Tuesday, April 28
Game 1-#6 Wheelock (7-20, 7-9) at #3 Mitchell (13-16-1, 10-5-1), 4:00 p.m.
Game 2-#5 Bay Path (17-18, 9-7) at #4 Daniel Webster (17-14-1, 10-5-1), 4:00 p.m.

Semifinals • Friday, May 1 (Hosted by Lesley, Cambridge, Mass.-Field TBD)
Game 3-Winner of #4/#5 at #1 Lesley (23-10, 15-1), 10:00 a.m.
Game 4-Winner of #3/#6 vs. #2 Elms (17-12, 14-2), 12:00 p.m.
Game 5-Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 2:00 p.m.
Game 6-Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 4:00 p.m.

Semifinals and Championship Game • Saturday, May 2 (Hosted by Lesley, Cambridge, Mass.-Field TBD)
Game 7-Winner of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6, 12:00 p.m.
Game 8-Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7, 2:00 p.m.

Championship Game • Sunday, May 3 (Hosted by Lesley, Cambridge, Mass.-Field TBD)
Game 9 (If Necessary), 1:00 p.m.