DePaul Selected for the Ann Arbor Regional in the NCAA Championship Tournament
5/12/2019 8:53:00 AM | SOFTBALL
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Blue Demons are traveling to Ann Arbor this weekend to compete in regional play of the NCAA Championship. DePaul will face James Madison in game 1 Friday at 1:00 p.m. CT after earning an automatic bid by winning its third-consecutive BIG EAST Tournament title on Saturday.Â
Along with DePaul and James Madison in the Ann Arbor Regional are host Michigan and St. Francis (PA). The Blue Demons and Dukes open play on Friday, May 17 at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN3 followed by the Wolverines and Red Flash at 3:30 p.m. CT.Â
At each regional, a four-team, double-elimination tournament will be conducted. The 16 winning teams advance to a best-of-three Super Regionals. The eight winners of those series travel to Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series.
The 2019 appearance is the 21st in program history for DePaul as the Blue Demons hold a 45-41 record all-time in NCAA Championship play. DePaul is making its third-consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament as the Blue Demons competed in the Fayetteville Regional in 2018. The program holds four all-time appearances in the Women's College World Series, the last being in 2007.
DePaul claimed one of the 32 automatic bids by defeating Villanova in dramatic, come-from-behind fashion on Saturday in the BIG EAST title game. The 64-team field also features 32 at-large bids.
James Madison comes into the Ann Arbor Regional with a 47-7 mark after defeating No. 5 College of Charleston and No. 2 Elon to take the CAA Championship title. James Madison carries the #14 RPI rating. The Dukes hold a 4-1 advantage all-time in the series against DePaul and won the last meeting between the two by a mark of 8-1 in 2016.Â
The host, Michigan, enters the matchup with DePaul carrying a 43-11 record after taking down No. 12 Minnesota to win the Big Ten Tournament title. The Wolverines went 22-1 in conference play, turning in an RPI ranking of #16. DePaul is 5-9 all-time against the Wolverines.
St. Francis finished with a 29-29 record while going 10-6 in conference play during the regular season. The Red Flash has the #190 spot in the latest RPI rankings. This will be the first meeting between the Blue Demons and the Red Flash.
This weekend's regional winner advances to the Super Regional to face the winner of the Los Angeles Regional that features the host #3 UCLA, along with Weber State, Cal State Fullerton and Missouri.
Tickets for the regional tournament are priced at $12 for reserved chairback and $10 for reserved bleacher seats. General admission outfield bleacher tickets are $8.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public starting Tuesday at noon and may be purchased online at MGoBlue.com/tickets, by phone or in person at the U-M Ticket Office.
All tickets ordered over the phone will be held for will call. Ticket will call on game days will be located near the Wilpon Complex scoreboard at the entrance gate near the U-M Indoor Training Building. For more information, please contact the Michigan Ticket Office at (734) 764-0247 or click here.
ANN ARBOR REGIONAL SCHEDULE:
Friday, May 17
Game 1 -- #2 seed James Madison vs. #3 seed DePaul, 2 p.m.
Game 2 -- #1 seed Michigan vs. #4 seed St. Francis, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 18
Game 3 -- Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA
Game 4 -- Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA
Game 5 -- Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, TBA
Sunday, May 19
Game 6 -- Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBA
Game 7 (if necessary) -- Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBA
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