Softball: Tennessee Awaits Excited Cardinals
May 17, 2010
Ball State will go to Knoxville for the NCAA Regionals.
Mac Daily Staff Reports
MUNCIE — Fresh off of the Mid-American Conference Championship, Ball State is shifting its attention to the NCAA Regionals. The Cardinals found out their bracket on Sunday night and their postseason will start in Knoxville, Tenn.
The Cardinals (43-14) were placed in the Knoxville Regional, where they'll play against Virginia, Louisville and Tennessee. The Cardinals will play against the hosts from UT in their first game, Friday at 6:30 p.m.
No. 15 Tennessee is up first for the Cardinals.
"I'm surprised we ended up in Knoxville, but I think it will offer a unique challenge," Ball State coach Craig Nicholson said. "There are four very good teams in the bracket and the tough thing in a regional like this, where we're playing a team who has hosted for six straight years, is we have to settle down early and get into playing our game as quickly as we can."
Ball State opens the tournament against a Tennessee team that is ranked No. 15 in the country and is playing in its seventh straight NCAA Tournament. The Volunteers enter the postseason with a 42-13 record.
"All three programs feature outstanding coaches who have previously experienced NCAA Tournaments and each has a top-level pitcher with more strikeouts than innings pitched," Tennessee coach Ralph Weekly said. "This will be a very tough challenge for our ball club."
Joining BSU and UT are Virginia (33-21) and Louisville (39-17). Those two sides will open up against each other on Friday at 4 p.m.
The NCAA Regionals are a double-elimination format, guaranteeing each team of at least one game on Saturday.
MUNCIE — Fresh off of the Mid-American Conference Championship, Ball State is shifting its attention to the NCAA Regionals. The Cardinals found out their bracket on Sunday night and their postseason will start in Knoxville, Tenn.
The Cardinals (43-14) were placed in the Knoxville Regional, where they'll play against Virginia, Louisville and Tennessee. The Cardinals will play against the hosts from UT in their first game, Friday at 6:30 p.m.
No. 15 Tennessee is up first for the Cardinals.
"I'm surprised we ended up in Knoxville, but I think it will offer a unique challenge," Ball State coach Craig Nicholson said. "There are four very good teams in the bracket and the tough thing in a regional like this, where we're playing a team who has hosted for six straight years, is we have to settle down early and get into playing our game as quickly as we can."
Ball State opens the tournament against a Tennessee team that is ranked No. 15 in the country and is playing in its seventh straight NCAA Tournament. The Volunteers enter the postseason with a 42-13 record.
"All three programs feature outstanding coaches who have previously experienced NCAA Tournaments and each has a top-level pitcher with more strikeouts than innings pitched," Tennessee coach Ralph Weekly said. "This will be a very tough challenge for our ball club."
Joining BSU and UT are Virginia (33-21) and Louisville (39-17). Those two sides will open up against each other on Friday at 4 p.m.
The NCAA Regionals are a double-elimination format, guaranteeing each team of at least one game on Saturday.