WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — The Williams College softball team takes aim at its fourth NESCAC Tournament title beginning Friday at Wesleyan University. The Ephs are making their eighth consecutive tournament appearance, a feat matched only by Tufts, their first-round opponent.
The entire tournament will be webcast by Wesleyan. Go here and look for the "Webcasts" tab on the right-hand side.
Williams (19-18) has won three NESCAC titles, all three coming in consecutive years, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Tufts has won the other four since the tournament began in 2001. The Ephs will meet the Jumbos (25-8) in a first-round game Friday at 5 p.m., after host Wesleyan (18-14) plays Trinity (15-13) at 2:30 p.m.
The meeting will be the 13th between the two teams in tournament history, with each school winning six games. Williams is 2-2 against the tournament field, having defeated Tufts 7-6 in Orange, California on March 18. The Ephs went 1-2 against Wesleyan in Williamstown on April 4th and 5th, and have not faced Trinity in 2008.
Tufts, the East Division winner, has a 2-3 record against the field, while Wesleyan is 4-2 and Trinity 2-3.
Williams is led by junior shortstop Joey Lye, whose .512 batting average is tops in the conference and 10th in the country. Lye has already set single-season records at Williams for hits (62) and total bases (85). She also paces the conference in runs (40), on-base percentage (.572) and hits.
Eph seniors Katie Powers and Taryn Goodman are also having strong seasons. The Ephs' starting catcher, Powers is batting .330 with eight doubles, one triple and a team-high five home runs. Her 27 runs batted in are second only to junior outfielder Libby Copeland-Halperin's 30, and her 18 walks is a team high. Copeland-Halperin also has five home runs.
Goodman, the Ephs starting third baseman, is batting .368 with 13 runs scored and 16 RBI. Her slugging percentage of .540 trails only Powers (.566) and Lye (.702). Juniors Morgan Simpson and Becky Sansone are hitting .323 and .319, respectively. Sansone has driven home 24 runs and scored 30.
From the circle, Simpson has hurled a team-high 83.1 innings pitched and is 7-5 with a 2.02 ERA. Senior Margaret Ryan and first-year Mary Beth Daub have also had success this season, and junior Emily Fowler-Cornfeld is 5-1.
2008 NESCAC Softball Tournament Schedule
May 2-4, 2007
at Wesleyan (West Division Highest Seed)
Friday, May 2
Game 1 - 2:30 p.m.
E2 Trinity at W1 Wesleyan
Game 2 - 5:00 p.m.
W2 Williams vs. E1 Tufts
Saturday, May 3 (Time Changes)
Game 3 - 9:00 a.m.
Loser GM 1 vs. Loser GM 2
Game 4 - 11:30 p.m.
Winner GM 1 vs. Winner GM 2
Game 5 - 2:00 p.m.
Winner GM 3 vs. Loser GM 4
Sunday, May 4
Game 6 - 10:00 a.m.
Winner GM 4 vs. Winner GM 5
Game 7 - If Necessary
