ASC Softball Championship Tournament Starts Thursday

The 2016 ASC Championship marks the 18th in league history dating back to 1999 and is the third tournament to be hosted by UT Tyler.

4/27/2016 11:46:39 AM

Championship Bracket | History
UT Tyler Host Site

TYLER, Texas – The University of Texas at Tyler posted a 29-0 record against league opponents to win the regular season title and the right to host the 2016 ASC Softball Championship Tournament, April 28-30, at Suddenlink Field in Tyler, Texas. The bracket for the six-team double-elimination ASC Championship was announced Saturday (April 23) following completion of conference play.

No. 1 UT Tyler (29-0 / 37-2) enters the tournament on a 32-game win streak and ranked No. 1 in the NFCA top 25 poll. The Patriots have played in the last eight ASC championship games and makes its ninth consecutive tournament appearance. Since competing in their first ASC Tournament in 2008, the Patriots lead the conference with 27 wins (27-11) in the league's postseason event and have claimed four championships (2009, 12’, 14’, 15’) and four runner-up finishes (2008, 10’, 11’, 13’). The Patriots return four All-Tournament selections from last year’s championship team including Tournament MVP senior pitcher Kelsie Batten, senior infielder Raven Rodriguez, junior pitcher Alaina Kissinger and senior infielder Jackie Mendez. Batten was one of the most premier threats in the circle in 2016. She led the ASC in wins (26-2), ERA (0.51), strike outs (120), earned runs allowed (11) and ranked second in opposing batting average (.158) and innings pitched (152.0). Batten is also the ASC career leader in wins (108-15), appearances (143) innings pitched (739.0) and win percentage (.878). UT Tyler ends the regular season as the ASC leader in home runs (44), batting average (.378), hits (385), RBI (267), total bases (589), slugging percentage (.578), on-base percentage (.460), runs scored (291) and walks (128). In the circle the Patriots were equally impressive. The UT Tyler rotation led the league in wins (37), ERA (0.93), shutouts (21), opponent batting average (.172), hits allowed (146), runs allowed (38), earned runs allowed (32), walks allowed (29) and ranked second in strike outs (198).

No. 2 East Texas Baptist (24-5 / 31-8) enters the tournament ranked No. 17 in the NFCA top 25 poll. The Tigers lead the ASC with a 40-21 tournament record and 17 consecutive appearances. The runner-up in the last two tournaments, ETBU leads the ASC with seven tournament championships and is the only team to win at least one game in each tournament since 2000. Junior outfielder Lindsey Vasquez, an all-tournament selection in 2015, returns to lead the Tigers pursuit of their eighth championship. Junior first baseman Lacey Lindsey leads the Tigers at the plate with 10 home runs and became the ASC career home runs leader this season with 41. In the circle sophomore pitcher Raquel Tello leads ETBU with 17 wins, a 1.96 ERA and a .232 opposing batting average, all ranked in the top six in the ASC. ETBU finished the regular season ranked second in runs scored (259), hits (346), RBI (224) and total bases (511) and ranked third in batting average (.333), slugging percentage (.492), on-base percentage (.413) and fourth in home runs (30). In the circle ETBU pitchers rank second in wins (31) and third in ERA (2.71), opposing batting average (.255), runs allowed (110) and fourth in earned runs allowed (96).

No. 3 UT Dallas (18-12 / 22-18) makes its sixth tournament appearance after a one-year absence. Under new head coach Rich Wieligman the Comets matched a school record for ASC wins in a season with 18, equaling the mark by the 2005 squad (18-10). UTD has a 5-10 tournament record and have one runner-up finish in 2004. Freshman outfielder Melissa Livermore set the ASC single-season stolen base record with 48 swipes this season. Livermore also set a new UTD mark for runs scored in a season (42) and matched the school record for hits in a season (64). Livermore leads the ASC with a .496 batting average, 64 hits and a .539 on-base percentage. In the circle, junior pitcher Lauren McLeod ranked third in the ASC in wins (15), fourth in strike outs (92), opposing batting average (.230) and innings pitched (142.2) and seventh in ERA (2.06). McLeod matched the UTD record with her 20th complete game of the season and holds the school record for both shutouts in a season (9) and career (11). As a team UTD ranked third in hits (330), fourth in on-base percentage (.369), tied for fourth in runs scored (194) and ranked fifth in batting average (.310) and total bases (448). In the circle the Comets ranked fourth in wins (22) and fifth in ERA (3.15), opposing batting average (.263), strike outs (130), runs allowed (147), earned runs allowed (117) and hits allowed (264).

No. 4 LeTourneau (17-13 / 20-20) is 3-4 in tournament play and has three tournament appearances all coming in the last three seasons. LeTourneau’s best tournament came in 2015 when the YellowJackets won two games and defeated Mary Hardin-Baylor in the longest game in tournament history at 17 innings. Senior utility player Megan Hill has started all 40 games this season and leads LETU with a .390 batting average, 46 hits, including 12 doubles and 26 RBI. Senior pitcher Kayla Cosby went 10-8 in the circle for the YellowJackets and had a 2.19 ERA with 68 strike outs and three shutouts in 111.2 innings.

No. 5 Mary Hardin-Baylor (16-14 / 19-19) makes its seventh consecutive appearance in the tournament and 17th overall, tying East Texas Baptist for the most appearances in the event. The Cru is 18-32 all-time in the tournament and has made it to the championship game three times, most recently in 2003. Junior third baseman Leah Brown leads the Cru at the plate. Starting all 38 contests this season Brown tied for the ASC lead in home runs (11), ranks second in total bases (98) and slugging percentage (.790), third in hits (55) and fourth in batting average (.444). In the circle sophomore pitcher Karen Tennis led the Cru rotation with 10 wins, a 3.12 ERA and 52 strike outs in 115.2 innings.

No. 6 Louisiana College (15-15 / 17-21) make its fifth consecutive tournament appearance and 13th overall. The Wildcats have a 33-19 tournament record and have won two titles (2008, 10’) and finished as the runner-up four times, most recently in 2012. Sophomore infielder Mattie Stine has led the Wildcats at the plate all season. Starting all 38 games in 2016, Stine ranks sixth in the ASC in on-base percentage (.485) and eighth in batting average (.402). She drove in a team-best 13 RBI, seven doubles, two triples and two home runs. Sophomore pitcher Savannah Settle was one of the top arms in the ASC this season. She ranked second in strike outs (119), third in innings pitched (146.2) and fourth in ERA (1.96) and opposing batting average (.226).

The tournament will get underway Thursday (April 30) in game one as No. 3 UT Dallas will play No. 6 Louisiana College at 10:00 a.m. Game two will feature No. 4 LeTourneau and No. 5 Mary Hardin-Baylor at 1:00 p.m. The top two seeds, (1) UT Tyler and (2) East Texas Baptist, receive a first round bye. ETBU will play the winner from game one between UTD/LC in game three at 4:00 p.m. The Patriots will play the winner of game two of LETU/UMHB in game four at 7:00 p.m.

The 2016 ASC Championship marks the 18th in league history dating back to 1999 and is the third tournament to be hosted by UT Tyler. All games will be available for fans to follow through free live streaming and stats on the conference's softball tournament page.

The ASC champion will earn the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Softball Championship. Regionals will be played May 13-15, with the Super Regionals scheduled to be played May 20. The Division III Championship will be played at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va., May 26-31. NCAA Division III Championship Selections will be released Monday, May 9 at 1:00 p.m. (ET) on NCAA.com

NOTES: Admission is $5 adults, $3 students, senior citizens … NO PETS ALLOWED at the conference tournament per ASC policy, leashed or unleashed, within the confines of the facility … From 1999 to 2013 the ASC Championship was hosted at a neutral location. UT Tyler is the only ASC member to host the ASC Softball Championship … To talk about / follow the tournament on Twitter, use the hashtag: #ASCsb

2016 American Southwest Conference Softball Championship Tournament
Tyler, Texas | Suddenlink Field | Hosted by University of Texas at Tyler

Thursday, April 28
Gm 1: #3 UT Dallas vs. #6 Louisiana College, 10:00 a.m.
Gm 2: #4 LeTourneau vs. #5 Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1:00 p.m.
Gm 3: #2 East Texas Baptist vs. Winner Gm 1, 4:00 p.m.
Gm 4: #1 UT Tyler vs. Winner Gm 2, 7:00 p.m.

Friday, April 29
Gm 5: Lose Gm 2 vs. Lose Gm 3, 10:00 p.m.
Gm 6: Lose Gm 1 vs. Lose Gm 4, 1:00 p.m.
Gm 7: Winner Gm 3 vs. Winner Gm 4, 4:00 p.m.
Gm 8: Winner Gm 5 vs. Winner Gm 6, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 30
Gm 9: Loser Gm 7 vs. Winner Gm 8, 2:00 p.m.
Gm 10: Winner Gm 7 vs. Winner Gm 9, 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 1
Gm 11: If Needed, Gm 10 teams, 1:00 p.m.

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