Softball | 05/12/2022

Region Tournament Website

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – For the first time in program history, the College of Saint Benedict softball team has been selected to host an NCAA Regional Tournament. The Bennies play host to the Saint Joseph, Minnesota Regional Friday through Sunday, May 13-15, at the CSB Softball Complex.
 
The Bennies are the top seed at the regional, and welcome second-seeded Wartburg, No. 3 Illinois Wesleyan and fourth-seeded Nebraska Wesleyan to town. Wartburg takes on Illinois Wesleyan at 2 p.m. Friday to kick off the tournament, and CSB hosts NWU at 4:30 p.m. The tournament is double elimination with the championship game set for noon on Sunday.
 
Daily tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students, seniors and veterans and can be purchased at the gate. All-session passes good for all three days of the tournament are $25 for adults and $15 for students, seniors and veterans.
 
Here is an in-depth look of the three teams traveling to St. Joseph for the tournament.
 
The Wartburg Knights won the American Rivers Conference Tournament title last weekend as the No. 4 seed. The title marked their first since 2008, and the Knights are making their second NCAA appearances since 2019. This is the 10^th NCAA appearance in program history.
 
Kaylie Springer leads Wartburg's offense with a .393 batting average and 57 hits. Ella Link has a team-best 11 home runs and 48 RBIs. She also owns a .792 slugging percentage. On the mound, Ashley Nelson has a 3.06 ERA and 59 strikeouts for the Knights. Sydney Illg is currently second in the Wartburg record books with 141 career runs scored and fourth with 23 home runs and Springer is second in program history with 42 stolen bases in a season.
 
The Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves made history on Monday when the team earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth after finishing runner-up at the ARC Tournament. The Prairie Wolves lost 5-4 to the Knights in the championship game. NWU played the spoiler at its conference tournament, as the sixth-seeded Prairie Wolves upset No. 3 Coe and No. 2 Dubuque to make it to the title game.
 
Kailey Meyer earned ARC Pitcher of the Year honors this week after leading the team with 103 strikeouts and a 2.67 ERA in 149.1 innings pitched. Hanna Roth leads the team offensively with a 3.88 ERA, 45 hits – including 12 doubles – and 26 RBIs. Roth, Val Gerlach and Taylor Styskal earned All-ARC honors.
 
Illinois Wesleyan is making its 19^th trip to the NCAA Tournament in program history this season. The Titans finished as NCAA runner-up in 2018 and are 53-41 all-time in NCAA play. IWU claimed its 15^th CCIW tournament title with a win over North Central last weekend.
 
Senior Colleen Palczynski earned her second straight CCIW Hitter of the Year honor after hitting .389 in conference play. Hayley Earl leads the team with a .380 overall batting average and Jen Kuhn has 43 hits. Palczynski has 35 RBIs and a team-best nine home runs.
 
A regional tournament website has been set up here and includes information on the tournament schedule, NCAA bracket, tickets and live stats and video.