Alma continues its amazing run in the NCAA Division III softball tournament Thursday night in Salem, Va., as the Scots take on unbeaten and two-time defending national champion Tufts, Mass. in their first game in the national finals.
Under the direction of longtime head coach Denny Griffin, Alma is in its 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and sixth showing in the finals. Alma is 43-35 all-time in the NCAA tournament and it returns to the Finals for the first time since 2005. The Scots' best finish in the finals was third place in 1999 and 2000.
The Scots (30-15) enter the 2015 NCAA finals riding a five-game winning streak through regional action. In those five games, Alma scored 21 runs while only giving up two. All-MIAA first team selection Morgan Stratton pitched all 36 innings in the regionals and super regionals, allowing only one earned run while striking out 29 batters. Entering the finals, Stratton is carrying a 19-7 overall record with 24 complete games. She is amongst the national leaders in earned run average (1.56), victories (19) and strikeouts (177).
Offensively, the Scots are led by 2014 MIAA Offensive Most Valuable Player Devan Olah. In 45 games, the senior infielder is tops on the team with 53 hits and 14 doubles to go along with a .483 batting average. At the two spot, senior third baseman Lea Lusk leads the team with 33 RBI and .515 batting average, and ranks second with 50 hits. All-MIAA second team infielder Anna Couture has a team-high 32 runs and All-MIAA first team outfielder Marie Zill eads the team with 21 stolen bases.
Tickets for Thursday's game at the Moyer Sports Complex are $10 for adults and $7 for students, seniors and children under 12. Tickets for all sessions of the NCAA finals are $35 for adults and $20 each for students, seniors and children under 12.
Games Links
Live Stats/Brackets
2015 NCAA Division III Finals Schedule
Thursday, May 21
1: Texas-Tyler (47-3) vs. Kean, N.J. (30-13-1), 11:05 a.m.
2: Linfield, Ore. (37-13) vs. Alfred, N.Y. (40-5), 1:30 p.m.
3: DePauw, Ind. (35-14) vs. Salisbury, Md. (36-6), 4 p.m.
4: Alma (30-15) vs. Tufts, Mass. (46-0), 6:30 p.m.
Friday, May 22
5: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 11:05 a.m.
6: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser, 1:30 p.m.
7: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 4 p.m.
8: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 23
9: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser, 4 p.m.
10: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 24
11: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner, noon
12: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 2:30 p.m.
13: Rematch of Game 11 (if necessary), 5 p.m.
14: Rematch of Game 12 (if necessary), 7:30 p.m.
Monday, May 25
15: Championship Series Game 1, 1 p.m.
16: Championship Series Game 2, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 26
17: Championship Series Game 3 (if necessary), 11:05 a.m.
