Belhaven Softball Hosts First NCAA Super Regional in School History
Jackson, Miss. — Belhaven Softball will host the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the NCAA Division III Super Regional at Jim McLeod Field this week. The best two-out-of-three series will determine who advances to the NCAA Division III Softball World Series, scheduled for May 28 to June 3 in Salem, Virginia.
Belhaven enters the series with a 40-10 record after winning the NCAA Division III Belhaven Regional last weekend. The Blazers opened regional play with an 8-2 win over Westminster and defeated Emory 9-1 in five innings to move one win from the regional title. After losing the first championship game to Emory 15-7, Belhaven responded with a 4-0 victory in the decisive game.
Funderburk was named the Most Outstanding Player of the regional after going 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 16.1 innings. Ellie Williamson, Kaleigh Steverson and Dunbar also earned spots on the All-Tournament Team. Williamson led the team with a .545 batting average during the regional, while Steverson hit .417 and drove in five runs. Dunbar added five hits, including three extra-base hits, as Belhaven hit .373 as a team with 28 runs, 41 hits, 12 doubles and six home runs over four games.
UW-Oshkosh enters the Super Regional with a 33-8-1 record after sweeping the St. Louis Regional. The Titans won three close games, including a 2-1 victory over Washington University in the regional final. The team’s success was built on strong pitching, defense and timely hitting, as they committed no errors during the regional and have played error-free in 27 games this season.
Haylie Wittman was named the St. Louis Regional Most Outstanding Player, with Brianna Bougie and Grace Nardi also earning spots on the All-Tournament Team. This marks UW-Oshkosh’s third Super Regional appearance and its first since 2014. The Titans have claimed five regional titles in program history.
Belhaven and UW-Oshkosh have met once before, with the Blazers sweeping a doubleheader on March 17, 2006, in Pensacola, Florida. The upcoming series will determine who advances to the NCAA Division III World Series. Additional coverage and a full preview will be available later this week.
For updates on Belhaven athletics, follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram, and like their Facebook page. Supporters can also visit Team Green Giving for ways to contribute.
Source: Original Article
