SWAC Softball Tournament Begins Today
SWAC.org
DECATUR - The quest for the 2013 Southwestern Athletic Conference softball title begins today at Wilson Morgan Park. The first round is scheduled to commence at 11:30 a.m. as Eastern Division No. 3 seed Alabama State faces the West No. 2 Arkansas-Pine Bluff and West No. 3 Prairie View vs. East No. 2 Mississippi Valley State. Then at 2 p.m., West No. 4 Grambling will take the field against East regular season champion Jackson State and East No. 4 Alcorn State battling West regular season champ Texas Southern.
The tournament continues on Thursday and Friday, then concludes with the finals on Saturday. The championship game will be streamed live on ESPN at 2 p.m., then tape delayed on ESPNU at 9 p.m. CT on Saturday night.
Visit SWAC Softball Tournament Central for updates throughout the week.
Team Capsules
(E1) Jackson State (26-27, 13-4)
...Features seven All-SWAC performers
...tournament runners-up in 2012
...2011 SWAC tournament Champion
...top players - Jasmine Warren (1st team All-SWAC Outfielder; 2nd team All-SWAC pitcher)...Breea Jamerson (1st team All-SWAC pitcher)
(E2) Mississippi Valley State (20-29, 11-6)
...Defending SWAC tournament champion; beat JSU in the finals of the 2012 tournament
...Won seven SWAC tournament titles including six straight between 2004 and 2009
...top players - Nicole Burr (1st team All-SWAC catcher - hit game-winning grand slam in 2012 championship...Alicia Lorenz (1st team All-SWAC pitcher)...Alexandria Robertson (2nd team All-SWAC shortstop and Hitter of the Year
(E3) Alabama State (13-32, 10-7)
...Seeking first tournament title
...top players - Meagan Dixon (2nd team All-SWAC outfielder)...Brehanna Rodriguez (Ranked 4th in batting in the SWAC)
(E4) Alcorn State (12-37, 5-12)
...won their way into the tournament with a road sweep of Alabama A&M on the final weekend
...2010 SWAC Tournament Champion...shared 1997 title with Grambling
...top players - Deanna Rancillio (2nd team All-SWAC pitcher)...Alexandra Harris and Chqueta Givens are tied for second in the league with four triples
(W1) Texas Southern (32-14, 15-1)
...features five All-SWAC 1st team selections
...Worley Barker (SWAC Coach of the Year)
...2000 SWAC Tournament Champion
...top players - Rebecca Villerreal (Pitcher of the Year)...Thomasina Garza (Player and Newcomer of the Year; 2nd in the league in batting)...Princess Daniels (3rd in the league in batting)
(W2) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (14-27, 12-5)
...Seeking first tournament championship
...top players - Lacie Sutterfield (2nd team All-SWAC pitcher)
(W3) Prairie View (17-21, 7-9)
...1998 SWAC Tournament Champion
...top players - Alisa Navarro (2nd team All-SWAC catcher - ranked 5th in the SWAC in batting)...Alexis Colbert (leads the SWAC in batting with .571 BA)...Seven players are ranked in the top 20 in the SWAC
(W4) Grambling (9-34, 4-13)
...Swept Southern in the final series of the season to earn a spot in the tournament
...2001 SWAC tournament champion; shared a SWAC tournament title in 1997
...top players - Ciera Frith (ranked 20th in the SWAC in pitching)...Angela Perez (Ranked 2nd in the SWAC in Strikeouts)