Lady Rams to defend championship title during SIAC softball tournament

            The Albany State University Lady Rams will defend their Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championship title during the SIAC Softball Tournament this week in Columbus, Ga. The championship tournament is Thursday, April 21, through Saturday, April 23, at the South Commons Softball Complex, which was the site of the 1996 Olympic Women's Fast-Pitch Softball Competition. The Lady Rams enter the double-elimination tournament as the number four team in the East Division. The Fort Valley State University Lady Wildcats enter as the top seed in the East Division, while the Tuskegee University Tigerettes are the number one seed in the West Division.

            Head softball coach Robert Skinner says competition is tough for the 2011 tournament.

            “It’s a wide-open tournament this year with any one of the 12 teams good enough to win it,” Skinner said. “I’m encouraging our Lady Rams to play hard. We’ve got to play hard and stay focused to bring the title back home.”

            In addition to the Lady Rams, Lady Wildcats and Tigerettes, teams from Benedict College, Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Paine College and Stillman College will participate in the tournament.

            Softball tournament action begins Thursday at 9 a.m. with two games which pit Claflin (#5 East) against LeMoyne-Owen (#6 West), and Benedict (#3 East) against Stillman (#4 West). The Lady Rams will play Miles (#3 West) at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The championship game is slated for Saturday, April 23, at 12 p.m.

            The Lady Rams have claimed the championship title four times in the ASU program's 10-year history. Last year, the Lady Rams defeated Fort Valley State 6-4 in the championship game to claim the SIAC championship title. If they win, the Lady Rams will represent the SIAC in the South Region tournament in May.

            For more information about the tournament, log onto www.thesiac.com.

Thursday, April 21

9 a.m.   Game 1             #5E Claflin vs. #6W LeMoyne-Owen

            Game 2             #3E Benedict vs. #4W Stillman

11 a.m. Game 3             #5W Lane vs. #6E Paine

            Game 4            #4E Albany State vs. #3W Miles

1 p.m.   Game 5             #1E Fort Valley State vs. Game 1 Winner

.           Game 6             #2W Kentucky State vs. Game 2 Winner

3 p.m.   Game 7             #1W Tuskegee vs. Game 3 Winner

            Game 8             #2E Clark Atlanta vs. Game 4 Winner

5 p.m.   Game 9             Game 3 Loser vs. Game 5 Loser

            Game 10           Game 4 Loser vs. Game 6 Loser

7 p.m.   Game 11           Game 1 Loser vs. Game 7 Loser

            Game 12           Game 2 Loser vs. Game 8 Loser

 

Friday, April 22

10 a.m. Game 13           Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner

            Game 14           Game 11 Winner vs. Game 12 Winner

12 p.m. Game 15           Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner

            Game 16           Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner

2 p.m.   Game 17           Game 14 Winner vs. Game 15 Loser

            Game 18           Game 13 Winner vs. Game 16 Loser

4 p.m.   Game 19           Game 15 Winner vs. Game 16 Winner

6 p.m.   Game 20           Game 17 Winner vs. Game 18 Winner

 

Saturday, April 23

10 a.m. Game 21           Game 20 Winner vs. Game 19 Loser

12 p.m. Game 22           Game 19 Winner vs. Game 21 Winner (Championship Game)

3 p.m.   Game 23           Game 22 Winner vs. Game 22 Loser (Double Elimination If Game)