KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The recently-crowned Big South Champion Longwood University softball team will take on host No. 7 the University of Tennessee in its first NCAA Division I Regional game on Friday, May 17 beginning at 6 p.m. in Knoxville, Tenn. All of the Lancers games at this weekend's regional will be aired live on Kickin' Country WVHL 92.9 FM and online at www.wvhl.net.

Looking at Longwood
Longwood defeated Winthrop University, 10-2, in five innings on May 12 to win its first-ever Big South Conference title in its first year of competition in the league, as well as an automatic NCAA Tournament bid. The Lancers, who own a program-best 41-18 overall record, dropped its first Big South Tournament game against No. 6 Liberty, but went undefeated the rest of the way, eliminating No. 7 Gardner-Webb, No. 9 Charleston Southern and No. 2 Campbell to reach the title game. Sophomore Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii leads the Lancers with a .446 batting average. Senior Brooke Short/Hurt is second on the team with a .430 average, while sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford, who paces the team with 30 home runs, has a team-high 78 RBI along with a .420 batting average. Nishitomi leads the team with 28 multiple-hit games, while Baltzell has 23. Nishitomi, Short and Baltzell were all named to the NFCA All-Southeast Region First Team, as well. Sophomore Libby Morris/Dillwyn, who has a 2.90 ERA and 90 strikeouts this season, leads the squad in the circle with a 21-8 record.

Scouting Tennessee
The No. 7 Lady Vols own a 44-10 overall record heading into their 11th NCAA Tournament appearance. UT finished second in the Southeastern Conference regular season standings with a 16-6 league record and advanced to the second round of the conference tournament before falling to the University of Missouri, 3-0, on May 11. Tennessee is led by Raven Chavanne with a .471 batting average and 82 hits. Lauren Gibson, who is second on the team with a .429 average, paces the team with 66 RBI and 18 home runs. Pitcher Ivy Renfroe boasts a 1.91 ERA and 125 strikeouts for the squad in the circle with a 17-4 record.

In the words of head coach Kathy Riley
“With the game against Tennessee on Friday we know we are going to be in a hostile environment. It sold out really quickly, so we're just going to embrace the fact that there are a lot of fans there. It's our job as athletes to perform and it's exciting for us. In regards to our strategy for Tennessee, although I do have some more scouting to do, they are just like anyone else in that you have to stay away from their star players and not let them hurt you. Raven Chavanne, their leadoff, is extremely fast, so we're going to have to control her. Lauren Gibson is really good, as well. Those are the two players that we have to do a good job with. It's a matter of Libby Morris throwing good pitcher's pitches and having them hit those. If we do that, we'll have a legitimate shot to win the game.”

In the words of senior Jordan Cox
“The 2011 season was heartbreaking because we had such a good year and the seniors deserved [to go to Regionals] because they worked very hard to get there, so it was really upsetting that we didn't get to make it. It felt like people didn't believe in us. We gave ourselves the opportunity this year by coming back and winning the conference tournament. We took it out of other people's hands and just put ourselves here, so that's what is really exciting about it. Being a senior, this is a great note to end on. You can't be upset about anything because we've made it this far and we're all so happy to be here. As far as the Tennessee game goes, I hope we can bond together as a team, enjoy our time together, enjoy whatever happens and play softball the way we know how to. If we hit and play like we normally do, anything is possible.”

Series History
The Lancers and the Lady Vols have met just once previously on March 6, 2005. In that outing, Tennessee scored two runs in the first, and three runs in both the second and third innings to earn the 8-0 victory against Longwood in the quarterfinals of the Charleston Southern Tournament. The Volunteers' Monica Abbott and Stacey Jennings combined for the shutout victory, giving up just one hit to the Lancers' Caitlin Hooe.

Knoxville Regional Schedule
The Knoxville Regional with feature Longwood, No. 7 Tennessee, James Madison University and North Carolina State University. The schedule for the weekend's games at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium is as follows:

Friday, May 17:   James Madison vs. NC State, 3:30 p.m.
Friday, May 17:   No. 7 Tennessee vs. Longwood, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 18:  Winners from Friday's games, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 18:  Losers from Friday's games, 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 18:  Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 19:  Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, 1 p.m.
Sunday, May 19:  Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5, If Necessary, 4:30 p.m.