Buckeyes Selected for NCAA Tournament, Sent to Arizona Regional – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 14, 2006
Complete NCAA Brackets
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament Sunday and will join Marist and No. 24 Auburn in the regional hosted by third-ranked Arizona, which begins Thursday. The Buckeyes are making their seventh NCAA tournament appearance, including their third in the last six seasons, and head to Tucson for the first time since 1996. ESPN2 will televise the regional championship game Saturday.
Ohio State is 38-21 overall, finished fourth in the Big Ten with an 11-7 league record and advanced to the conference tournament semifinals Saturday. The four-team, double-elimination regional this weekend is one of 16 around the country, with the winners advancing to super regionals next weekend. The Arizona regional is one of two that begin Thursday, with the Buckeyes meeting Auburn in the opener at 4 p.m. (MST).
“We are thrilled to represent the Big Ten in the NCAA tournament and to be recognized as one of the Top 64 teams in the nation,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “We have a couple Arizona kids so they’re very excited and so are our California kids (5), so their families will be able to be there, too, so we’ll have a good fan base. From what I hear it’s one of the best places to play college softball in the country and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Arizona is 44-9 overall, finished 15-6 in the Pac-10 and is 24-2 at home this season. Auburn is 34-20 and went 15-15 in the Southeastern Conference. Marist is 33-11, went 12-4 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and won the MAAC tournament to make its first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament.
The Buckeyes are 1-1 all-time against Auburn with their last meeting coming in 2001. Ohio State is 2-10 all-time against Arizona, including a 5-1 loss earlier this season to the then-No. 1 ranked Wildcats Feb. 25 in Palm Springs. OSU and Marist have never met.
Ohio State is 3-4 in the NCAA tournament under Kalafatis, who is in her 10th year at Ohio State and the Buckeyes’ all-time wins leader.
Schedule (All times are MST)
GAME 1 Thursday 4 p.m. Auburn vs. Ohio State
GAME 2 Thursday 6:30 p.m. Arizona vs. Marist
GAME 3 Friday 1:30 p.m. Winner 1 vs. Winner 2
GAME 4 Friday 4 p.m. Loser 1 vs. Loser 2 (Loser is eliminated)
GAME 5 Friday 6:30 p.m. Winner 4 vs. Loser 3 (Loser is eliminated)
GAME 6 Saturday 3 p.m. Winner 3 vs. Winner 4 (ESPN2)
GAME 7 (if needed) Saturday 5 p.m. Winner 6 vs. Loser 6 (ESPN2)
### GO BUCKS! ###
