Hartsville, S.C.-The Queens University of Charlotte softball team is scheduled to face Wingate University, ranked seventh in the Southeast Region, in the first round of the South Atlantic Conference Woman's Softball Championship. The Royals enter the tournament seeded sixth after completing the regular season with a 11-11 league record and going 22-25 on the year. The Bulldogs are seeded third for tournament play with a 15-7 record in the SAC and 30-14 overall.
This is the first time the Royals have made the post season tournament since joining the South Atlantic Conference. The team would see three tournament games in the 2013 Conference Carolinas Tournament for their last year with the league.
The Royals split the regular season meeting with Wingate finding a Queens' score of 2-1 in the first game matchup and 11-1 Bulldogs win during the follow-up game. In the first game the Royals would see a pitching battle take place, as the score remained 1-1 heading into the sixth inning. In that sixth inning, Queens loaded the bases brining
Miranda Cummings in to pinch hit. Cummings found four balls to walk home
Samantha Martinez for what would be the winning run of the game.
Evie Scott was credited in the win after pitching 1.1 innings with no hits.
In the second game the Wingate bats came alive as they scored 11 runs in five innings. Queens placed a run on the board in the team's third at bat with Martinez again reaching home plate, but the Bulldogs would come away with the victory.
Taylor Rosenbalm holds top in several offensive categories for the team as she tabbed a slugging percentage of .566 and a batting average of .377. She saw 90 total bases and four homeruns come off her 60 hits. Additionally, she would cross home plate on 35 occasions and bring home 22 runners. Rosenbalm concluded the regular season with a second-team all-conference nod as she led the league in doubles per game, taking 16 on the year.
Ashton Whitaker was the other Royal to see post season recognition from the South Atlantic Conference as she landed on the honorable mentions team. Whitaker's 25 RBIs are a team best in the category as she helped the Royals advance through the season. She scored 10 runs and tallied 39 hits this year.
Wingate found three players to make the all-conference first team with Misty Doran claiming third base, Mellena Helms claiming utility, and Stacey Houser claiming first team pitcher. Helms tabbed a batting average .347 for the year with 46 runs and 50 hits. Doran's 47 hits fell second in the Bulldog rankings in addition to claiming 23 runs.
Houser, who pitched in the first game of the double-header against the Royals, finished the regular season with a 19-11 pitching record and an era of 1.48.
The complete schedule for the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Women's Softball Championship, taking place at Byerly Park in Hartsville, S.C., will be updated on the conference website.
Thursday, April 28 (at Hartsville, S.C.)
#3 Wingate vs. #6 Queens, 10:00 a.m.
#2 Catawba vs. #7 Newberry, 12:30 p.m.
#1 Lenoir-Rhyne vs. #8 Anderson, 3:00 p.m.
#4 Carson-Newman vs. #5 Lincoln Memorial, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, April 29 (at Hartsville, S.C.)
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser (Alternate site), 10:00 a.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser (Alternate site), 12:30 p.m.
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 10:00 a.m.
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 12:30 p.m.
Game 7 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner, 3:00 p.m.
Game 8 Loser vs. Game 5 Winner, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 30 (at Hartsville, S.C.)
Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 12:00 p.m.
Winner vs. Game 8 Winner, 2:30 p.m.
Winner vs. Game 12 Loser, 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 1 (at Hartsville, S.C.)
Winner vs. Game 13 Winner, 1:00 p.m.
