The Lions had a 16-12 record in conference play this season and will be the six-seed in this year’s tournament. (Photo courtesy Lindenwood Athletics)
by Nathan Assata
Staff Writer
The Lindenwood University women’s softball team went into the final weekend of its regular season needing one win in its final four games to secure a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament for the first time ever.
And though the weekend didn’t go totally as Lindenwood hoped, with the team losing its final three games, the Lions did get the one win they needed and are officially making their first trip to the GLVC postseason.
Lindenwood, which finished the season with a 16-12 conference record and a 23-13-1 overall mark, will be the sixth seed in this week’s double-elimination GLVC Tournament. The event will be played at the EastSide Centre Softball Complex in East Peoria, IL, with the winner earning an automatic bid into next week’s NCAA Division II National Tournament.
The Lions will play their first game on Thursday, May 6, against No. 3 seed Drury. That matchup is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch.
The winner of that game will advance to the tournament’s second round, which will be played the following day. The loser of that first round contest will play in an elimination game later Thursday evening, with the winner advancing to the GLVC second round and the loser heading home as their season will be over.
This year marks Lindenwood’s first full season in the GLVC. The Lions were supposed to play in the conference last year, but the season was cut short due to the covid pandemic. Thus, this will be Lindenwood’s first trip to postseason GLVC play.
Before joining the GLVC, Lindenwood played in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and advanced to that league’s championship tournament numerous times. The Lions have never made it to the NCAA National Tournament, but will look to do so beginning with Thursday’s game against Drury.
2021 GLVC Softball Tournament Schedule
Thursday, May 6
Game 1 – #5 Rockhurst vs. #4 Maryville – 10 am
Game 2 – #8 Illinois-Springfield vs. #1 Indianapolis – 12 pm
Game 3 – #6 Lindenwood vs. #3 Drury – 2 pm
Game 4 – #7 Lewis vs. #2 McKendree – 4 pm
Game 5 – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 6 pm
Game 6 – Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser – 8 pm
Friday, May 7
Game 7 – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 11 am
Game 8 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner – 1 pm
Game 9 – Game 8 Loser vs. Game 5 Winner – 3 pm
Game 10 – Game 7 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner – 5 pm
Saturday, May 8
Game 11 – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner – 11 am
(Winner advances to Championship Round)
Game 12 – Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner – 1 pm
Game 13 – Game 11 Loser vs. Game 12 Winner – 3 pm
Sunday, May 9 – Championship Round
Game 14 – Game 11 Winner vs. Game 13 Winner – 12 pm
Game 15 – Game 14 Loser vs. Game 14 Winner – 2 pm (if necessary)
Winner will be declared champion and received GLVC’s automatic bid
into 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament