ASHLAND, Ore. – The opening round of the NAIA National Softball Championships started Monday.
It’s been seven years since the Southern Oregon University Raiders made their national debut at the tournament.
The Raiders are hosting the Ashland bracket.
It’s a four-team double-elimination bracket with the winner moving on to the NAIA Softball World Series in Georgia.
SOU is looking to make it five appearances in six years, and the team is excited to do it at home in Ashland.
“You got to defend your field like it’s your playground and somebody’s coming to take your toy away from you,” SOU Athletic Director Matt Sayre said. “So, the women are fired up, they are ready to go. We got a great crowd, professors are canceling classes to be out here, so it’s going to be fun.”
SOU opened its national tournament against the number four-seed Vanguard of California on Monday, losing 8-4.
They will now play against 2-seed Southeastern at 1:30 on Tuesday, in an elimination game.
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