Cougars Matched Up with Bethany in Tournament’s Opening Round

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA announced the field of 44 teams for the NCAA Softball Championship Monday. Among those selected was first time qualifier Averett University. The Cougars will face Bethany College of West Virginia Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Softball South Atlantic Regional in Salem, VA.

The six team South Atlantic Regional includes, top seed Muskingum College, Roanoke College at the two seed, Emory University at number three, Bethany at four, Averett at five, and University of the South rounds out the regional with the sixth seed. In other regional games, Emory will face the South with the winner to face Roanoke. The winner of Averett’s tilt with Bethany will face top-seeded Muskingum in the double elimination format.

The Cougars earned the automatic bid following a USA South Conference title run in Raleigh, NC. Averett, who was also the fifth seed in that tournament, won four straight and beat the top four tournament seeds en route to its first NCAA Tournament berth.

Earlier this season the Cougars dropped a 6-5 decision to Bethany, during the Roanoke College Invitational in Salem. Averett brings a record of 20-20 into Friday’s tournament action.

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