FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
S-116-07-08
Thursday, May 1, 2008

Softball Opens Commonwealth Playoffs on Friday

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- The Elizabethtown College softball team will begin play in the Commonwealth Conference Tournament at Lebanon Valley College on Friday, facing Widener University at 1:00 p.m.

The Blue Jays (11-22 overall, 5-5 Commonwealth) finished third in the conference during the regular season, and are making their fourth overall appearance in the eight-year history of the tournament.

Top-seeded host Lebanon Valley will play fourth-seeded Messiah College at 11:00 a.m. in the opening game of the tournament, with the winners meeting at 3:00 p.m. Action continues Saturday with three games, including the title contest at 1:00 p.m.

The Blue Jay offense is led by sophomore shortstop Paige Tanner (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro), who is batting .305 and leads the squad with 24 runs scored, 29 hits, three triples and 18 walks.

Senior catcher Abbie Merrifield (York, PA/Dallastown) is hitting .303 with 27 hits, a team-high seven doubles and 11 runs batted in, while first-year designated player Kelsea Corrado (La Plata, MD/La Plata) is at .277 and leads the team with three home runs and 23 runs batted in.

The pitching staff is paced by senior righthander Alex Lee (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus), who is 9-11 with a 2.54 earned run average in 24 games (19 starts). She leads the conference in innings pitched (143 1/3), strikeouts (130) and complete games (19), and is the school's all-time leader in all three categories.

Commonwealth Conference Softball Tournament
at LVC Softball Park - Annville, Pa.

Friday, May 2
Game 1: Lebanon Valley (24-9) vs. Messiah (21-19), 11:00 a.m.
Game 2: Widener (30-10) vs. Elizabethtown (11-22), 1:00 p.m.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 3
Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 9:00 a.m.
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 11:00 a.m
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1:00 p.m.
Game 7: If necessary, 3:00 p.m.