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CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte softball team (22-14) will begin the pursuit for its first South Atlantic Conference tournament championship against on Saturday, April 27 at Catawba College's Whitley Field in Salisbury, N.C.
The sixth-seeded Royals will face off against the third-seeded Carson-Newman Eagles (26-9). Both teams are also ranked in the top-five in the region, with the Eagles coming in at No. 3 and the Royals at No. 5.
Queens and Carson-Newman have faced off twice in the conference tournament since the Royals joined the SAC in 2013, with each team having earned one win apiece. The Royals took the first matchup in 2015, 7-6, before the Eagles avenged the loss with a 4-3 win in 2017. For the Eagles, they will be looking to claim their third consecutive SAC championship title.
In the regular season, the two teams split a doubleheader back on March 16 at Park Road Park. Queens won out in a pitching duel in game one, 1-0, as doubles from
Grace Valchar and
Cierra Robinson helped lead the Royals to a walk-off win. Meanwhile, Carson-Newman bounced back to take game two by a final score of 7-3. The Eagles were ranked No. 7 at the time, the highest-ranked win in program history.
The pitching duel in game one featured a complete-game, four-hit shutout by Royals' ace,
Courtney Pearson. Pearson, who was named a Second-Team All-Conference recipient on Thursday, outdueled Carson-Newman's Allison Rager, who will be pitching her first game this Saturday since being named SAC Pitcher of the Year.
Last season, the Royals advanced through the quarterfinal round with an eight-inning, 5-4 win over Newberry. Queens was then defeated by Coker in the semifinal round, 5-0.
First pitch of Saturday's quarterfinal between Queens and Carson-Newman is set for 4:30 p.m.
DAILY TICKET PRICES
Adults – $10
Students w/ ID – $5
Children – $4
