May 14, 2009

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State Bobcat softball team will take on No. 13/No. 13 Northwestern at 5 p.m. on Friday in the opening round of the 2009 NCAA Softball Championship Tournament in Waco, Texas at Getterman Stadium. The Waco Regional will also play host to Baylor and No. 21/No. 24 Louisiana at Lafayette as part of 16 postseason regional hosts.

Friday will mark the fourth appearance for the Bobcat softball team in the NCAA Regional and the first time since 2003. Texas State is 4-3 against the teams in this year’s 64-field bracket, having beaten Texas A&M, Texas and Baylor all in 2009.

The Bobcats (39-16, 23-6 SLC) earned the postseason bid after claiming the Southland Conference tournament title with a 2-1 victory over McNeese State Saturday afternoon. Texas State also won the regular season crown for the second-straight year.

Texas State posted the Southland’s best record at the 2003 NCAA Regional in Austin, where they finished 3-2. One of the wins came against Northwestern, where Texas State walked away with a 3-1 victory. The Bobcats hold a 1-0 all-time series record versus the Wildcats.

The Wildcats (31-13) will make their fifth-straight appearance in the NCAA tournament and earned the top seed in the region. Northwestern earned an at-large bid into the championship after finishing third in the Big 10.

The winner of the Waco region will face the winner of the Michigan region. The four teams in the Michigan region are the Wolverines, the No. 5 overall seed, as well as Miami (OH), Cleveland State and Notre Dame.

Click here for access to the NCAA Waco Regionals, including live video, live stats and live audio.

Parking Directions for NCAA Regional at Waco The NCAA Softball Regional at Waco is being held at the same time as graduation at Baylor University. This will likely impact the Friday 5 PM game the most by posing a parking problem for fans to the most convenient parking lot to Getterman Stadium – the Turner Riverfront Complex/Ferell Center parking lot.

As fans are approaching Getterman Stadium from University-Parks, they should remain in the right-hand lane and then turn right on Daughtrey, just past Getterman Stadium. The parking garage is down 2 blocks on the right.