Lynchburg Wins One of Three Ties to Earn Top Seed

FOREST, Va. --- ODAC softball has lived up to its moniker as one of the top conferences for the sport in Division III, as evidenced by three nationally ranked programs for much of the campaign. Each of those teams found themselves part of one of three ties that needed solving on the final day of the regular season to determine the eight-team field of the 2022 ODAC Softball Tournament.

For the first time since 2019, ODAC teams return to the friendly confines of the James I. Moyer Sports Complex, the traditional home of the league tournament. Play begins on Friday, April 29, and continues through the championship and possible "if game" in the double elimination format on Sunday, May 1.

Fans looking to attend the event can purchase daily tickets or a full tournament pass online via the conference's ticketing partner at TicketSpicket, or at Moyer's admissions gate once the tournament begins.

RELATED: Live Bracket | Tournament Website | ODACSN Live Video

The three ties in the ODAC's final standings involved the top-six teams in the bracket. The University of Lynchburg and nationally 10th-ranked Randolph-Macon College knotted at 13-5 in league play. The second step in the ODAC's tiebreaking procedures -- the ODAC Five-Point Tiebreaker -- afforded the Hornets a higher point total and the #1 seed in the field. The Yellow Jackets will play as the second seed.

Virginia Wesleyan University staked its claim to the third seed by much simpler means. The Marlins, ranked 15th in the country, tied with 20th-ranked Roanoke College at 12-6 in conference games. Those records included a sweep by VWU over RC, awarding the third seed to the Marlins and the fourth seed to the Maroons.

The five-point tiebreaker was again needed to break the 11-7 stalemate between Bridgewater College and Ferrum College for the fifth seed. The Eagles split series with three of the higher seeds in the tournament field during the regular season, which gave them the margin needed to lock up the fifth seed. The Panthers enter as the sixth seed.

The final two positions in the field were taken straight from the standings. Shenandoah University earned a split with R-MC to ensure the Hornets' claim on the seventh seed with a 7-11 league mark. Eastern Mennonite University caps the field as the eighth seed after going 5-13 in ODAC play.

Listed below is the entire schedule for the 2022 ODAC Softball Tournament, which is subject to change in the case of inclement weather.  For more information, visit any of the participating schools' websites and stop by the ODAC tournament website.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

2022 ODAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
James I. Moyer Sports Complex - Salem, Va.

Friday, April 29
Game 1: #1 Lynchburg vs. #8 Eastern Mennonite - Field 1 - 12:00 p.m.
Game 2: #4 Roanoke vs. #5 Bridgewater - Field 3 - 12:00 p.m.
Game 3: #2 Randolph-Macon vs. #7 Shenandoah - Field 1 - 2:00 p.m.
Game 4: #3 Virginia Wesleyan vs. #6 Ferrum - Field 3 - 2:00 p.m.
Game 5: Loser G1 vs. Loser G2 - Field 1 - 5:00 p.m.
Game 6: Loser G3 vs. Loser G4 - Field 3 - 5:00 p.m.
Game 7: Winner G1 vs. Winner G2 - Field 1 - 7:00 p.m.
Game 8: Winner G3 vs. Winner G4 - Field 3 - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 30
Game 9: Winner G5 vs. Loser G8 - Field 1 - 11:00 a.m.
Game 10: Winner G6 vs. Loser G7 - Field 3 - 11:00 a.m.
Game 11: Winner G7 vs. Winner G8 - Field 1 - 2:00 p.m.
Game 12: Winner G9 vs. Winner G10 - Field 1 - 5:00 p.m.
Game 13: Winner G12 vs. Loser G11 - Field 1 - 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 1
Championship Game
Game 14: Winner G11 vs. Winner G13 - Field 1 - 1:00 p.m.

If necessary...
Game 15: Rematch of Game 14 - Field 1 - 4:00 p.m.

Games 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 played on Field 3.  All other games on Field 1.