Gorloks Seeded 5th, to Face St. Thomas

2021 NCAA DIVISION III SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT SELECTION SHOW

Webster University will make its return to the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament for the first time in 13 years on Friday, May 21 as the Gorloks earned the No. 5 seed in the Wartburg Regional and will face No. 2 seeded St. Thomas (Minn.) (27-8), who won the automatic big from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, in first round against at  Lynes Field on the campus of Wartburg College. Webster's first round game with St. Thomas is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Friday.

The Gorloks earned an automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament after picking up a 12-2 on May 7 over Spalding University in the championship game of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament held at Blue Jay Field in Fulton, Mo. The Gorloks went undefeated (4-0) in the SLIAC Tournament and outscored their four tournament foes 28-7. Webster will be making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2009 and its eighth overall appearance in the NCAA postseason. In 2009, the Gorloks were the region runners-up after falling 11-1 to Gustavus Adolphus in the finals of the Simpson College Regionals. Ironically, Webster's first round opponent in that 2009 regional was St. Thomas as the Gorloks won that game 3-1 over the Tommies. 

"When our 2020 season was cut short, our coaching staff circled this day on our calendar. We laid out a plan for what our team needed to do in order to compete in regionals and our athletes brought it to life," Webster head coach Katie Griffith said. "We have a balanced squad with depth in many positions. We have upperclassmen leaders and we have the bulk of our roster who are freshmen, who will gain invaluable experience at this tournament early in their careers."

The other first game games in the Wartburg Regional will be No. 1 seeded St. Olaf (24-5), who earned an at-large berth after losing to St. Thomas in the MIAC playoff championship and winning the MIAC regular season championship, meeting No. 6 Wisconsin-Superior (22-14), who were the champions from the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference at 10 a.m. and No. 3 seed Milwaukee School of Engineering (33-8), who earned the automatic bid from the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference meeting No. 4 seed Coe College (24-13), who earned the automatic bid after winning the regular season crown in the American Rivers Conference at 2 p.m.

The six teams in the Wartburg Regional will play a double-elimination tournament with the winner of the regional advancing to the 2021 NCAA Division III Softball Championship Finals, which is scheduled for May 27-June 1 at Moyer Park in Salem, Va. 

Webster's first round opponent on Friday at the Wartburg Regional is sporting a 28-8 overall record and are making their 28th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its 20th appearance in the last 21 seasons. The Tommies have won five consecutive games heading into the NCAA Tournament, including posting back-to-back shutout wins over St. Olaf to claim the MIAC Tournament title. 

"St Thomas is a perennial powerhouse and Coach (John) Tschida is a Hall of Famer with more than 900 career wins," said Griffith. "We can't wait to compete against them this coming Friday."

The NCAA selected 48 teams for the 2021 NCAA Division III Softball Championships, including 41 teams earning automatic qualification after their respective conferences, while one team earned a Pool B selection (Brandeis) and six teams earned Pool C at-large selections, including St. Olaf. 

Webster comes into its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years sporting a 20-10 overall record and finished second in the regular season in the SLIAC with a 6-4 record. The Gorloks have won five consecutive games and nine of its last 11 games overall heading into regional play with the two losses coming at Fontbonne (12-7) on April 27 at home to Blackburn (2-1) on May 2. 

The Gorloks are making its eighth all-time appearance in the NCAA D-III Baseball Tournament as they have posted a 9-14 all-time record in tournament, including going 3-2 and advancing to the regional final in 2009.

Listed below is the 2021 Wartburg Regional Tournament schedule.

Friday, May 21, 2021
Game 1 (10 a.m.) - No. 1 seed St. Olaf (24-5) vs. No. 6 seed Wisconsin-Superior (22-14)
Game 2 (12 p.m.) - No. 2 seed St. Thomas (Minn.) (27-8) vs. No. 5 seed Webster (20-10)
Game 3 (2 p.m.) - No. 3 seed MSOE (33-8) vs. No. 4 seed Coe (24-13)
Game 4 (4 p.m.) - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 (Loser eliminated)
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Game 5 (10 a.m.) - Winner of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 3
Game 6 (12 p.m.) - Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3
Remainder of tournament is determined after Game 6 results