Thomas More Grabs Top Seed in PAC Softball Championship Tournament

Bookmark and Share

GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) – Head coach Lindsay Bramhall and the Thomas More College softball program have played their way into the number one seed and host school for this week’s 2014 Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Softball Championship Tournament.

The four-team, double-elimination tournament will take place this Thursday-Friday, May 1-2, in Crestview Hills, Ky.

Top-seeded Thomas More (29-8, 16-2 PAC) will take on fourth-seeded Bethany College (18-22, 10-8 PAC) in Thursday’s opener (10 a.m.), followed by the other opening-round game between third-seeded Washington & Jefferson College (21-9, 13-5 PAC) and number two seed Geneva College (21-14, 15-3 PAC) at 12 p.m.

The winners of Thursday’s first-round matchups will meet in Game C at 2 p.m., followed by the losing teams in the opening-round contests facing off in the elimination Game D at 4 p.m.

On Friday, May 2 the loser of Game C will face the winner of Game D in an elimination game at 11 a.m. for the right to play for the conference crown against the Game C winner at 1 p.m. If both teams have one loss at that point, the "if necessary" game is scheduled to be contested at 3 p.m.

The tournament is being held one day earlier than previously announced due to the participation of Geneva, which has an institutional policy prohibiting athletic competition on Sundays. Therefore, the tournament has been moved up one day to allow for Saturday as the tournament’s rain date.

Tickets will be on sale for each day of action: $5 for adults and $2 for students, with Thomas More students admitted for free with valid school ID. Championship tournament programs will also be on sale for $1.

The 2014 PAC Championship Tournament winner will earn the PAC's automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division III Softball Championships, with regional preliminary round play scheduled to begin Thursday-Friday, May 8-9.

The NCAA’s Division III Softball Selection Show is scheduled for Monday, May 5 at 10 a.m. and can be seen on ncaa.com.

The Saints were the league’s top vote-getter on the 2014 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released on Feb. 19. Thomas More totaled six first-place votes and 95 points.

Thomas More battled from the championship tournament's number four seed to secure the league's 2013 title. The tournament championship was Thomas More's fourth in program history (2013, 2010, 2009, 2007). The Saints have earned appearances in the conference championship tournament in seven of its eight years as a PAC member. Thomas More was the second-straight number four seed to claim the PAC tournament title, following Geneva's terrific two-day run in 2012.

2014 PAC Softball Championship Tournament
Hosted by Thomas More College – Crestview Hills, Ky.

Thursday, May 1
Game A: (4) Bethany College (18-22, 10-8 PAC) vs. (1) Thomas More College (28-8, 15-2 PAC)– 10 a.m.
Game B: (3) Washington & Jefferson College (21-9, 13-5 PAC) vs. (2) Geneva College (21-14, 15-3 PAC) – 12 p.m.
Game C: Game A winner vs. Game B winner – 2 p.m.
Game D: Game A loser vs. Game B loser – 4 p.m.

Friday, May 2
Game E: Game C loser vs. Game D winner – 11 p.m.
Game F: Game C winner vs. Game E winner – 1 p.m.
Game G: if necessary – 3 p.m.

Saturday, May 3
Rain date (note: play cannot continue past Saturday due to Geneva institutional policy on Sunday play)