Posted: May 13, 2014
2014 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round Semifinals
#2-seed Central Methodist (42-6) vs. #1-seed LSU Alexandria (33-3)
Tuesday, May 13 - 11 a.m. CT
Columbia, Mo. - Antimi Sports Complex Black Field (Cosmopolitan Park)
Live Video, Audio, Stats, Chat:�CMUEagles.com
Radio: 99.9 The Captain
Talent: Adam Hildebrandt
Twitter:�@cmueagles
2014 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round Semifinals - Elimination Game (if necessary)
#2-seed Central Methodist vs. #3-seed Columbia (30-17)/#4-seed Morningside (30-13)
Tuesday, May 13 - 4 p.m. CT
Columbia, Mo. - Antimi Sports Complex Black Field (Cosmopolitan Park)
Live Video, Audio, Stats, Chat:�CMUEagles.com
Radio:�Glory 97.3
Talent:�Adam Hildebrandt
Twitter:�@cmueagles
FAYETTE, Mo. - A battle of Top 14 teams kicks off the semifinals of the Columbia Bracket on Tuesday. No. 14 Central Methodist, the two-seed in the bracket and coming off a 12-2 conquest in five innings of No. 3-seed Columbia (Mo.), takes on second-ranked LSU Alexandria (La.), the top seed in the bracket, in the 2014 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. CT at Black Field in Cosmopolitan Park's Antimi Sports Complex.�
Live video, radio, audio, stats, chat and Twitter updates will be available for the game.�Calling the game, which can be heard online and locally on 99.9 The Captain, will be Adam Hildebrandt. The pregame show starts at 10:45 a.m.�
The winner of Central Methodist/LSU Alexandria advances to the championship game of the Columbia Bracket on Wednesday at 12 p.m. The loser of the Eagles/Generals contest plays Tuesday at 4 p.m. against the winner of Columbia/No. 4-seed Morningside (Iowa) in an elimination game. If the Eagles fall into the 4 p.m. game, it can be heard online and locally on Glory 97.3.
Tickets for the tournament, which runs Monday, May 12, through Wednesday, May 14, as well as programs can be purchased at the entrance to Black Field. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students kindergarten-college. The first potential championship game is slated for Wednesday at 12 p.m. If both teams finish that game with one loss, they will play a final elimination game on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
Central Methodist qualified for its second straight Opening Round and is making its third-straight appearance in the national tournament and fourth overall (1981, 2012, 2013, 2014). The Eagles are 2-2 all-time in the Opening Round and 4-6 in the national tournament, having posted a 1-0 record so far in 2014 and 1-2 record in 1981, 2012 and 2013.
Central Methodist is riding a 10-game win streak, its third win streak of double-digit games this season. The Eagles are 12-2 in neutral site games this season, having won four in a row and 10 of their last 11.
LSU Alexandria qualified for the 2014 Opening Round by finishing as the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Tournament Champion. The Generals are making their second appearance in the Opening Round and sport a 2-2 all-time record after Monday's 3-2 come-from-behind win over Morningside. LSU Alexandria has never reached the World Series.
The Generals have won 12 in a row overall and are 13-2 in neutral site games this season. LSU Alexandria has outscored its opponents 277-111 but has won its last four games each by one run and is 8-2 in one-run games in 2014.
LSU Alexandria is led by A.I.I. Co-Player of the Year Brooke Thomas. In 35 games, the junior center fielder is batting .445 with one homer, 17 RBIs, 49 hits, 42 runs scored, two doubles, three triples and 17 walks.
Central Methodist last faced LSU Alexandria on March 10, 2013, in the Gulf Coast Invitational, where the Eagles came away with a 12-2 win in five innings.
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