Southwest Softball Team To Take On Roane State In Region Tourney Play-In Game

For more information contact:  Southwest Athletics Chief Information Office, Keith Gentry, at 901-333-4114 or e-mail mgentry@southwest.tn.edu.

The Southwest softball team enters next week’s TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tournament as the number nine seed and will play eighth seed and Roane State in a ‘play-in game’ on Sunday at 10am in Gallatin, Tennessee. The winner advances to the double-elimination region tournament with a first round game against top-seeded and 4th-ranked Walters State on Monday at 10am. The region tournament championship game is scheduled for May 11 with the winner advancing to the NJCAA National Tournament May 23-27 in Oxford, Alabama.

“I’m very proud of our team this season and we’re very optimistic about our chances heading into the region tournament,” said Head Coach Keith Gentry. “With just one sophomore, this is the youngest team at Southwest since the 2004 season. Despite this, we’ve been very competitive all season, winning nine more games than last year. This was accomplished playing against possibly the toughest schedule we’ve ever had with six of our opponents ranked nationally including three in the top 10.”

The Lady Saluqis are led by the lone sophomore, outfielder Shelbe Sisk, who is batting .354 with 7 home runs and 41 runs batted in. Sisk has tied the Southwest career record with 22 home runs and also ranks high on the charts in runs batted in and total bases. There are several freshmen who are having outstanding seasons as well. First baseman and leadoff hitter Mandie Barrow, the team’s top hitter with a .434 average and .520 on-base average, has broken the Southwest single season record with 75 hits. 

Also making her mark in the Lady Saluqis’ record book is outfielder Mariah Morgan, who is batting .394 and leads the team with 8 home runs, 5 triples, 49 runs batted in, 17 stolen bases, and 118 total bases. Morgan ranks in the top 10 all-time in a single season all of those categories. Other top freshmen include shortstop Lauren Pettie (.341 batting average, 40 runs scored, .952 fielding average), pitcher/second baseman Jenifer Diehl (.355 batting average, 5 home runs, 34 runs batted in, 9 pitching wins, 108 strikeouts), centerfielder/second baseman Maddyx McNatt (.318 batting average, 10 doubles, 26 runs batted in), and rightfielder/pitcher Maleyia Prather (.352 batting average, 5 home runs, 32 runs batted in.)