Maroons Head to CNU, Face Messiah in Opening Contest

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- After a week of waiting, Roanoke College knows who and where it will play in the 2012 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.  The Maroons, winners of the ODAC's automatic bid, will travel to Newport News and Christopher Newport University as the fifth seed for a first round meeting with Messiah College.

The 2012 field features 61 teams from across the country divided amongst eight pre-determined regional sites.  Six eight-team regionals, including the Newport News regional, being play on Thursday, May 10.  One six-team and one seven-team site start a day later on Friday, May 11.  Each site will use a double-elimination format.  The winners of the eight regionals will travel to Salem, Va., for the final series, May 18-22 at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex.  The ODAC and City of Salem serve as co-hosts for NCAA Division III Softball Championship Series for the 10th time.

Roanoke (29-9) made the most of the 2012 ODAC Softball Tournament as the Maroons won four straight games to earn the program's eighth conference title, an ODAC record.  Roanoke, the fifth seed, will be joined by seven other squads that will compete at Christopher Newport's Captains Park.  Those teams include (ranking is regional seed) #1 Emory University, #2 Christopher Newport University, #3 Salisbury University, #4 Messiah College, #6 Ferrum College, #7 Farmingdale State College, and #8 McDaniel College.

The Maroons had games scheduled against Christopher Newport and Ferrum cancelled due to weather, but RC did meet Salisbury twice early in the season.  In their second game of the year, the Maroons dropped a 5-0 contest to the Sea Gulls.  A week later, SU won a 1-0 pitchers' duel that featured six combined hits.

Listed below is information regarding each of the eight regional sites, as well as brackets for the championship round.  For more information on the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the NCAA's home on the Internet at www.ncaa.com.  For more on ODAC Softball, go to www.odaconline.com.