HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Lenoir-Rhyne University opens the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional in women’s softball with a home game Thursday at 4:30 p.m. against Young Harris.
The Bears (42-8), ranked No. 11 in the country, gained the No. 2 regional seed when the pairings were announced by the NCAA on Monday. Young Harris is seeded seventh (32-18).
The other game in LRU’s portion of the regional bracket pits sixth-seeded Carson-Newman (32-19, South Atlantic Conference tournament champion) against third-seeded Georgia College (36-14, ranked No. 21 in NCAA Division II) on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Bears Field.
LRU head coach Shena Hollar is in her 19th season as head coach, and the Bears are in the national tournament for the 13th time.
The other half of the Southeast Regional bracket features top-seeded North Georgia (50-2), fourth-seeded Coker (35-16), fifth-seeded Queens (35-15) and eighth-seeded King (34-20).
Coker and Queens play at 2 p.m. on Thursday in Dahlonega, Ga., and North Georgia meets King at 4:30 p.m. that day.
The bracket winners advance to the Super Regionals on May 17-18 – at the highest seed.
The NCAA Division II Women’s College World Series is scheduled May 24-28 at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
NCAA DIVISION II SOFTBALL SOUTHEAST REGIONALS
At LRU
Thursday’s games
Game 1: No. 6 Carson-Newman (32-19) vs. No. 3 Georgia College (36-14), p.m.
Game 2: No. 7 Young Harris (32-18) vs. No. 2 LENOIR-RHYNE (42-8), 4:30 p.m.
Friday’s games
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 11 a.m.
Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 4 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, noon
Game 7: if necessary
At North Georgia
Thursday’s games
Game 1: No. 5 Queens (35-15) vs. No. 4 Coker (35-16), 2 p.m.
Game 2: No. 8 King (34-20) at No. 1 N. Georgia (56-2), 4:30 p.m.
Friday’s games
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, noon
Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 5 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, noon
Game 7: if necessary
— Reported by LRU Sports Information