Updated Region XI DI Softball Tournament
The 2014 NJCAA Region XI Division II Softball Tournament, orignally scheduled to start Thursday, has been postponed until Friday. The Marshalltown Community College softball team, the No. 4 seed, will face No. 5 seed Ellsworth Community College at 1:00 PM Friday afternoon at the Harlan Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, IA.
With a win against Ellsworth, the Tigers would continue in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament to play at 7:00 PM on Friday. A loss against the Panthers would send MCC to the loser's bracket for a 5:00 PM game on Friday.
The Tigers racked up program records in overall wins (30-16) and conference wins (16-10) in 2014 to receive the fourth seed for the second straight season, the best seeding in school history. MCC lost in its only playoff game last season to North Iowa Area Community College as rain shortened the tournament.
MCC and Ellsworth have met in the Region XI Tournament three times since 2004 and are 1-2 against the Panthers in that span. The Tigers won the most recent tournament matchup, a 10-7 victory as the fifth-seed in 2011. Over the last 10 seasons, the Tigers are 8-19 overall in tournament play.
The Tigers won the regular season series against Ellsworth, taking three out of four. MCC swept the most recent doubleheader on April 26 with wins of 4-2 and 5-0.
Mackenzie Gott (Oskaloosa, IA/Oskaloosa) has led the Tigers in the circle, winning five of her last six appearances, posting a 2.05 earned run average while striking out 45 batters in 34 innings. Sarah Wilson (Ottumwa, IA/Ottumwa) led the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) in strikeouts during the regular season with 192.
Lexie Biehl (Maquoketa, IA/Maquoketa) will enter the tournament as one of the best hitters in the nation. The freshman shortstop leads the conference in batting average (.513), on-base percentage (.571), hits (78), and doubles (21). Biehl ranks in the top 15 nationally in all four categories.
Kirkwood Community College earned the top seed after posting a 22-2 league mark. Des Moines Area Community College took the two seed while Iowa Central enters as the three seed.
